Recommendation 20251208-007: Urgent Funding for HIV/STI and Mpox Community Health Programs Following TRE Failure — original pdf

Recommendation

RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission Recommendation Number: 20251208-007: Urgent Funding for HIV/STI and Mpox Community Health Programs Following TRE Failure WHEREAS, Austin Public Health (APH), in collaboration with community-based organizations, has invested in HIV, STI, and Mpox (formerly monkeypox) prevention, testing, treatment, and outreach efforts throughout the City of Austin and Travis County; and WHEREAS, despite these efforts, the region continues to face a substantial HIV burden, with Travis County reporting 6,189 people living with diagnosed HIV (PLWH) in 2024 — a 6% increase since 2020 — and 214 new HIV diagnoses in 2024, 71% among men who have sex with men (MSM), concentrated in ZIP codes 78704, 78741, and 78744 (APH HIV Surveillance Report 2025); and WHEREAS, the proportion of individuals achieving viral suppression in Travis County remains below the national goal of 90%, at only 65% in 2024; and WHEREAS, sexually transmitted infections continue to rise across Austin and Travis County, with 2024 data showing 13,482 cases of chlamydia, 5,927 cases of gonorrhea, and 1,143 cases of syphilis — including the highest rate of congenital syphilis in a decade (APH STD Program Annual Report 2025); and WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that Texas continues to experience elevated rates of Mpox infections, with Austin-Travis County recording 125 confirmed cases since 2022 and more than 12,000 JYNNEOS vaccines administered locally; and WHEREAS, the November 4, 2025 Maintenance & Operations (M&O) Tax Rate Election failed to pass, eliminating funding planned for full-time equivalent (FTE) positions within APH that were intended to fill service gaps left by prior federal cuts; and WHEREAS, the LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission affirms that the most effective use of available funds is through established community-based partners who provide culturally competent, trusted care to the populations most affected; and WHEREAS, without immediate funding, the City risks significant interruptions to prevention and treatment programs that protect public health and advance equity for LGBTQ Austinites and other disproportionately impacted residents. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission urges the Austin City Council to immediately allocate a minimum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) in the revised FY 2025 City Budget to sustain HIV, STI, and Mpox prevention, testing, and treatment programs. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission recommends that this allocation be directed to community-based partners rather than new City FTEs to ensure the fastest and most culturally competent delivery of care. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission recommends that City Council direct the City Manager and Austin Public Health to identify funding sources, including one-time reserves, to support this allocation without delay, and provide quarterly reports to the City Council’s Public Health Committee and the LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission. Date of Approval: December 8, 2025 Motioned By: Commissioner Brown Seconded By: Commissioner Davis Vote: 9-0 For: Commissioners Bandit, Benson, Brown, Davis, Knutson, Krueger, McLeod, Neal, Rivas Against: None Abstain: None Off the dais: None Absent: Commissioners Coyne, Fierro-Pérez, Treviño Attest: _____________________________________________ Ryan Sperling, LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission Staff Liaison