Item 7: Draft Recommendation — original pdf

Backup

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Commission on Aging Recommendation Number: 20260211-007: Moratorium on Human Services Funding Reductions Pending an Inclusive, Equity-based Program Review WHEREAS, the City has publicly described Imagine Austin—first adopted by Council in 2012—as a 30- year plan that maps out a vision of Austin as “a beacon of sustainability, social equity, and economic opportunity; where diversity and creativity are celebrated; where community needs and values are recognized; where leadership comes from its citizens; and where the necessities of life are affordable and accessible to all”1; and WHEREAS, the Planning Department’s current Imagine Austin update briefing materials describe Imagine Austin as the City’s comprehensive plan and “a guide for long-term growth, development, and land use decisions,”2 and note the plan was initially adopted in 2012 as a 30-year plan; and WHEREAS, the City’s Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan Update memorandum states that Imagine Austin “guides City decision-making when setting goals and policies.”3 reinforcing its relevance to City budget and service decisions; and WHEREAS, the Citywide Strategic Plan identifies “Strategic Anchors” that guide City decision-making, including Equity and Sustainability & Resiliency, and defines equity as ensuring “every member of the community has a fair opportunity to live a long, healthy, and meaningful life”4; and WHEREAS, the same Citywide Strategic Plan defines sustainability as balancing three goal areas—“(1) prosperity and jobs, (2) conservation and the environment, and (3) community health, equity, and cultural vitality”,5 directly linking sustainability to community health and equity outcomes supported by human services; and WHEREAS, the Citywide Strategic Plan includes Proactive Prevention as a Strategic Anchor and states that prevention includes “addressing social determinants of health outcomes, rather than only treating 1 City Embarks on Community-Wide Effort to Update Imagine Austin | AustinTexas.gov 2 https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=424906&utm 3 Ibid. 4 FY25_Proposed_Bgt_Citywide_Strategic_Plan.pdf, pp. 2–3 5 FY25_Proposed_Bgt_Citywide_Strategic_Plan.pdf, p. 3 Page 1 of 3 the disease”,6 underscoring the importance of services that prevent crises and reduce long-term costs; and WHEREAS, the City’s age-friendly work is an established City priority, including implementation functions housed within Austin Public Health and updates to the Age-Friendly Austin Action Plan (as described in the City Auditor’s report on City Services for Older Adults)7; and WHEREAS, Austin Public Health has adopted goals to “prevent disease, promote health, and protect the well-being of all,” including promoting healthy behaviors across life stages and preventing and controlling chronic disease and risk factors, goals that are advanced by effective community-based human services (Austin Public Health Strategic Plan Status Report)8; and WHEREAS, City-funded human services and community programs support residents across Austin’s diverse communities—including older adults, people with disabilities, communities of color, immigrants and refugees, LGBTQIA+ residents, families with children, veterans, individuals experiencing homelessness, and residents facing economic insecurity—reflecting the populations represented across Commission on Aging member commissions; and WHEREAS, responsible fiscal stewardship requires a transparent, data-informed approach that (1) evaluates program outcomes and community benefit, (2) identifies redundancies and service overlap, (3) assesses changing needs and priorities, and (4) modernizes contracting practices so public dollars are concentrated on demonstrably high-impact services. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Commission on Aging recommends that the Austin City Council establish a temporary moratorium on further reductions to City-funded human services and community programs until an inclusive stakeholder engagement and review process is completed. The review should identify redundancies and overlap, prioritize critical services, and modernize contracting practices so that necessary budget reductions maximize benefit to Austin residents and minimize unintended harm—consistent with the City’s adopted planning framework, equity approach, age- friendly priorities, and public health prevention goals. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Commission on Aging recommends that the Austin City Council: 1. Establish a temporary moratorium on further reductions to City-funded human services and community programs, excluding Police, Fire, Emergency Medical Services, and Transportation/Roadway infrastructure, until the stakeholder engagement and review process described below is completed; 6 FY25_Proposed_Bgt_Citywide_Strategic_Plan.pdf, p. 3 7https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Auditor/Audit_Reports/City_Services_for_Older_Adults_Oct ober_2022.pdf?utm 8https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Health/Administration/Strategic%20Plan%20Status%20Rep ort.pdf?utm, p. 7 Page 2 of 3 2. Direct the City Manager to convene a structured, multi-stakeholder engagement and review process to explore how we maintain a strong social sector infrastructure, leverage strengths and assets and support our community that includes: • Members of the public and service recipients from impacted communities, • Nonprofit organizations and for-profit contractors delivering human services, • Central Health, Travis County Health and Human Services, • Relevant City departments and leadership, philanthropic leaders, and • Boards and commissions represented on the Joint Inclusion Committee; 3. Review and assess the impact of the 10% reductions from the December 17, 2025 City Manager memo; 4. Conduct a systematic review of City-funded human services programs and contracts, including: Identification of redundancies and service overlap, • • Evaluation of program effectiveness, outcomes, and reach, • Assessment of whether certain programs are no longer critical or are of lower priority relative to current and emerging community needs, and • Review of administrative structures and contracting practices to improve efficiency and clarity; 5. Revise and modernize human services contracts as part of this review to: • Eliminate unnecessary administrative requirements and low-value deliverables that do not directly contribute to service outcomes, • Strengthen performance measures, outcome reporting, and accountability, • Improve alignment with the City’s equity, sustainability/resiliency, age-friendly priorities, and public health prevention goals, and • Ensure public resources are focused on high-impact, front-line services; 6. Use the findings of this stakeholder-informed review to guide necessary budget adjustments, ensuring decisions: • Advance the City’s sustainability, equity, age-friendly, and public health goals, • Maximize benefit to Austin residents, • Minimize unintended harm to vulnerable populations, and • Support long-term stability and effectiveness in Austin’s human services infrastructure. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this moratorium is intended to ensure that any necessary fiscal adjustments are implemented in a thoughtful, equitable, and outcome-driven manner— grounded in the City’s adopted planning framework and informed by meaningful engagement with impacted communities and providers. Date of Approval: _____________________________ Record of the vote: Attest: _____________________________________________ Page 3 of 3