Asian American Quality of Life Advisory CommissionMarch 19, 2024

Item 13 - APH AAPI Social Services Case Mgmt Draft Recommendation — original pdf

Backup
Thumbnail of the first page of the PDF
Page 1 of 2 pages

ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY-OF-LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION (AAQoL) RECOMMENDATION 20240318-013 Subject: Pacific Islander (AAPI) Austin Public Health Social Services Case Management Recommendation on the FY 2024-25 Budget related to Asian American and Seconded By: Date: March 19, 2024 Motioned by: Description AAPI Case Management Austin Public Health (APH) currently has a $100,000 grant awarded to Get Up Project d/b/a Hope Medical Clinic to provide health education and navigation services prioritizing the Austin Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The clinic, whose patients are 46% Asian (primarily refugees), provides free primary healthcare. The grant has allowed them to add a case manager to the staff who is consistently booked full with referrals for social service assistance and referrals after being identified for needing additional social services at the medical clinic. In addition, they have tracked over 6400 minutes of language interpretation used in the past year for patients needing language access from Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Case management with language interpretation requires longer appointments due to the use of a language interpretation service and/or device. High healthcare costs disproportionately affect uninsured adults and those with lower incomes, which are represented in Austin’s Asian community. These communities tend to forgo or delay medical care due to cost or lack of trust. Case management can coordinate and maintain more efficient workflows for healthcare providers, including scheduling appointments, billing, and ensuring tasks are completed efficiently and accurately. Research has shown the effective results of case management. Studies have shown that 10% of patients make up 70% of healthcare spending. By investing in case management, the coordination of care can include preventive care, such as screenings and treatment for diabetes and high blood pressure. This will go a long way to ensuring that preventable conditions do not turn into chronic conditions. Having access to bilingual case managers ensures that important and complicated health information can be communicated with patients in their preferred language. $150,000 in one-time funding for Asian American and Pacific Islander case management services Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities Alignment with Council Strategic Priorities: Health & Environment: Enjoying a sustainable environment and a healthy life, physically and mentally. Health conditions among the public Accessibility to quality health care services (physical and mental) Recommendation Department Austin Public Health Vote For: Against: Abstain: Absent: Attest: