REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION WEDNESDAY, MAY 6TH, 2026, AT 2:30 P.M. CITY HALL, BOARD & COMMISSION ROOM, ROOM 1101 301 W. 2nd STREET AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Austin Travis County Public Health Commission may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch- atxn-live Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by remotely, contact Daniela Romero, daniela.romero@austintexas.gov or Juanita Jackson at Juanita.jackson@austintexas.gov. telephone. To to speak register CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS OR COMMISSIONERS: Natalie Poindexter, Chair Cara Dahlhausen, Vice Chair Jawad Ali Chris Crookham Jacob Whitty Martha Lujan William Rice EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Adrienne Sturrup, Director, Austin Public Health Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin/Travis County Public Health Authority Ana Almaguel, Division Director, Travis County Health & Human Services Perla Cavazos, Deputy Administrator, Central Health AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 5 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three- minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Public Health Commission Regular Meeting on April 1st, 2026. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Presentation and demonstration of RADD Platform by Phillip Bays, Christopher Collins and Brian Morris. Receive updates from commissioners on assigned action items. Discuss draft recommendation “Sexual Health Funding” created by Commissioner Jacob Whitty. Discuss draft recommendation “Heat-Related Illness Prevention for Outdoor Workers”. Discuss commissioner terms. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 7. 8. Discuss and approve “Bridging Public Health Funding” recommendation created by Commissioner Chris Crookham. Approve commission bylaws. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access accommodations no later than 48 hours before the scheduled meeting. Please contact Daniela Romero at Austin Public Health, at daniela.romero@austintexas.gov, or Juanita Jackson at Juanita.jackson@austintexas.gov to request service or for additional information. For more information on the Public Health Commission, please contact Daniela …
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Austin Travis County Public Health Commission Recommendation Number: [YYYYMMDD-XXX] (XXX is the agenda item number): Sexual Health Funding Preservation Date of Approval: Recommendation: This recommendation seeks to stabilize long-term funding sources to address sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the Austin/Travis County area through prevention, testing, linkage to care, treatment, retention, and supportive services. This recommendation directly addresses priorities outlined by Austin/Travis County as a Fast-Track City to end urban HIV epidemics, including goals to reach 95% of people living with HIV knowing their status, 95% are on treatment, and 95% maintain viral suppression by 2030. Description of Recommendation to Council: WHEREAS gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV infections are reportable conditions to Austin Public Health (APH), WHEREAS APH provides core public health services not covered by other STI/HIV service providers, WHEREAS there is an overburdened demand for STI/HIV testing and treatment in Austin/Travis County for local service providers, WHEREAS trends for congenital syphilis cases have increased across Texas, leading to preventable infant illness and death, WHEREAS incidence rates for HIV are higher in Texas than the national average, WHEREAS gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis co-infections are more common in people living with HIV and those at highest risk of acquiring HIV, WHEREAS STI/HIV incidence rates are consistently higher in Black and Hispanic people compared with White people, WHEREAS STI/HIV incidence rates are higher in men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people compared with their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts, WHEREAS investing in STI/HIV prevention efforts is more cost-effective than treatment, WHEREAS preventing one new HIV infection yields an estimated $300,000+ cost saved for lifetime medical costs, WHEREAS APH’s funding for STI/HIV programs is largely grant-reliant, and Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS)/Public Health Follow-up (PHFU) and HIV Surveillance are completely reliant on grant funding, WHEREAS federal budget negotiations demonstrate a shift in funding priorities and potential loss of STI/HIV funding, WHEREAS federal directives have threatened or already removed targeted approaches that serve people most disproportionately impacted by HIV, WHEREAS STI/HIV community partners are experiencing financial setbacks due to loss of funding and changing federal initiatives, WHEREAS vulnerable populations are at-risk for worse health outcomes with loss of funding, WHEREAS loss of grant funding for DIS/PHFU and HIV Surveillance would affect partner investigations, handling outbreaks, and community health data, WHEREAS any reduction to STI/HIV funding would negatively impact the Austin/Travis County community. Rationale: NOW THEREFORE …
. RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Austin Travis County Public Health Commission Recommendation Number: 20260506-007 BRIDGING PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING: WHEREAS according to the 2025 Austin-Travis County Community Health Assessment (CHA), the foundation of health in Austin and Travis County is shaped by longstanding structural conditions. Historical patterns of racial segregation, economic exclusion, and neighborhood disinvestment continue to influence present-day access to education, income, and opportunity. These inequities are especially pronounced in East Austin, where residents face compounded disadvantages, and WHEREAS the City of Austin 1928 Master Plan designated then East Avenue as the dividing racial line between East and West Austin, which was later replaced by Interstate 35, serving as a reinforced physical barrier between East and West Austin, and WHEREAS the CHA demonstrates that Interstate 35 traffic and congestion have exacerbated health disparities of those living in East Austin, leading to less access to quality care and healthy foods, increased rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes and infectious disease, poor maternal health outcomes, and increased socioeconomic inequities, and WHEREAS the CHA shows that Interstate 35 creates chronic stressors such as traffic noise, heat, and pollution, leading to poor mental health and stress of those living nearby, and WHEREAS City Council has touted Cap and Stitch as a once in a generation opportunity to repair the physical divide created by Interstate 35 and assist in repairing over 100 years of segregation, and WHEREAS City Council has welcomed the creation of new public spaces for civic participation and unlocking long-term economic and community benefits, and WHEREAS the CHA clearly illustrates that neighborhoods east of Interstate 35 tend to have a lower life expectancy compared to neighborhoods west of Interstate 35, ranging as low as 69 years old in East Austin and as high as 88 years old in West Austin. Data show that residents in historically underserved areas, particularly in East Austin, continue to experience shorter lifespans due to higher rates of chronic disease, fewer health care options, and limited access to other key . resources, pointing to the urgent need for place-based investments and equity-focused public health strategies to close the life expectancy gap and improve outcomes for all residents, and WHEREAS according to the CHA, the conditions of the neighborhoods where people live have a direct and lasting impact on health outcomes. Insecure housing, poor walkability, exposure to traffic dangers, and gaps in infrastructure don’t just limit mobility, they compound …
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 BYLAWS OF THE AUSTIN/TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION ARTICLE 1. NAME. The name of the board is Austin/Travis County Public Health Commission. ARTICLE 2. PURPOSE AND DUTIES. The purpose and duties of the board are as follows: The global COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the importance of having policy, plans, programs and operations ready to address public health crisis at a national, state and local level. The pandemic also reveals the importance of collaborative efforts to support public health and prioritize addressing health disparities as a central goal. The purpose of the joint Austin/Travis County Public Health Commission (“Commission”) is to: 1. Explore the best/evidence-based public health practices for areas that need improvement and provide recommendations; 2. Provide an annual recommendation for Austi City Council (“Council”) and Travis County Commissioners Court (“Commissioners Court”) action on the improvement of overall public health programs, projects, and services within the governing entities in the city and county; 3. Work to inform strategies that address health disparities that impact health outcomes for underserved patients and populations; 4. Gather input from the community on budget and programing recommendations to share with policy makers and health agencies annually; and 5. Report periodically to the Public Health Committee of the Council and to the Commissioners Court (or the appropriate committee thereof). ARTICLE 3. MEMBERSHIP. (A) The Commission shall include a balanced and diverse membership that represents a broad range of health and human services interests and lived experiences with members jointly appointed by the Council and the Commissioners Court. The Commission is composed of nine (9) regular members who serve staggered four-year terms, with four (4) or five (5) members, as appropriate, jointly appointed each even-numbered year by the Council and the Commissioners Court. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 (B) The Austin Travis County Health Authority and one designee each from Austin Public Health, Travis County Health and Human Services, and …
Enabling Timely Public Health Response Austin Public Health Department | 05.06.2026 The Gap Public health needs are clear, but execution is constrained. Data is slow Systems are disconnected New tools take too long 2 What We Built A rapid application development platform and an AI capability: 1. Inside City systems 2. Secure (Microsoft Azure-based) 3. Reusable + scalable 4. Already delivering working tools 3 What It Does From data to insight to action, this AI-enabled capability: 1. Detect signals earlier 2. Connect data across systems 3. Generate usable insights 4. Support real-time decisions 5. Support faster response 4 Proof: Austin Service Guide A working ‘Services’ navigator for Austin residents, built in days, with modern tools on existing data. What does it do? A resident has a conversation in ANY language and is matched to city, county, state, federal, and Nonprofit programs they qualify for. It includes an interactive map and no account is required; best of all, no forms to fill out to see if you qualify. The admin console gives staff a live view of demand, equity, and service gaps, by district, by language, by life event. 5 Missed Opportunity We are not using this at scale Recent initiatives required new funding External solutions were used Internal capability already exists 6 The Risk More missed opportunities Continued fragmentation Uncoordinated AI usage Higher long-term cost Slower response 7 The Recommendation 1. Recognize this as a City capability 2. Align it with governance (ATS + RADD) 3. Enable a path: pilot → review → production 8 What We Need From This Commission Use your role Acknowledge the public health value Support this as infrastructure Elevate to Council 9 Closing We built it. It works. It’s not scaled. Next step is alignment……. 10
AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION Wednesday, April 1st, 2026 AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, April 1st, 2026 The Austin Travis County Public Health Commission convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, April 1st, 2026, at 301 West 2nd Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Natalie Poindexter called the Austin Travis County Public Health Commission Meeting to order at 2:35 pm. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Natalie Poindexter, Chair Cara Dahlhausen Chris Crookham Jacob Whitty Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Jawad Ali Martha Lujan William Rice Board Members/Commissioners Absent: Enrique Lin Shiao, Vice Chair Ex-Officio and Staff in Attendance: Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin/Travis County Public Health Authority Daniela Romero, Staff, Austin Public Health Juanita Jackson, Staff, Austin Public Health Ex-Officio and Staff in Attendance Remotely: Ana Almaguel Ex-Officio and Staff Absent: Adrienne Sturrup Perla Cavazos Megan Cermak PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Austin Travis County Public Health Commission regular meeting on April 1st, 2026. The minutes for the regular meeting of March 4th, 2026, were approved on Commissioner William Rice’s motion, Commissioner Jacob Whitty’s second on a 6-0 vote. (Absent: Commissioner Enrique Lin Shiao, Off-Dais: Commissioner Jawad Ali) DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. 3. Presentation by Communities in Schools of Central Texas. Presentation by Jacob Reach, Chief of Operations and Maria I. Campos, Chief Advocacy Officer. Received updates from commissioners on assigned action items. Food Plan Update: Commissioner Lujan provided an update on the Austin/Travis County Food Plan implementation. CHW Workforce Advocacy: Commissioner Lujan reintroduced the topic of Community Health Workers (CHWs). Raised concerns regarding employment barriers for certified workers. Commissioner also requests a follow-up with Ricardo Garay and potentially inviting him back for a future presentation on CHW workforce data. Refugee Health Initiative: Commissioner Ali met with the refugee community to discuss health outcomes and explore opportunities to integrate members of the refugee community into Central Health’s Community Health Worker program. UT Engagement: Commissioner Crookham and Rice met with a UT School of Pharmacy professor regarding data and public health funding. While the contact was not the right match for the current Public Health funding recommendation, the relationship will be maintained for future technical or data-related needs. AI Integration: Commissioner Rice reported his research on incorporating AI into Public Health initiatives. Proposed starting a dialogue with the University of Texas to potentially have experts present on the practical applications of …
