Southwest Austin - Dripping Springs Edition | June 2025

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Southwest Austin Dripping Springs Edition VOLUME 18, ISSUE 3 JUNE 27JULY 28, 2025

2025 Health Care Edition

Telemedicine maintains key role in local health care

BY HALEY MCLEOD

Local providers across Austin saw telehealth explode during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, virtual health care continues to be a popular option for some as in-person visits have resumed. In Texas, 75% of doctors use telemedicine for at least 1 in 10 patient visits, according to the Texas Medical Association. South Austin resident Barbara Dino said she rst started using telehealth in 2021 after Winter Storm Uri forced the closure of her doctor’s oce. Just a few weeks postpartum, Dino was able to see her doctor virtually to check in. Today, Dino uses telemedicine for routine check-ins with her mental health provider. “For something like getting a quick prescrip- tion rell, I just really don’t think it’s worth the hour-and-a-half [drive] for the three-minute health care visit,” she said. Telehealth has become incorporated in a vari- ety of aspects within health care, spanning from routine follow-ups and run-of-the- mill cold and u symptoms to mental health visits and long-term chronic disease care.

CONTINUED ON 32

In Southwest Austin, some patients are opting for virtual care options in an area with only three major hospitals. COURTESY BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE

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Impacts Southwest Austin

2 Bank OZK The bank offers personal and business banking services. • Opened June 10 • 3520 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin • www.ozk.com 3 La Michoacana Plus The ice cream parlor is now open near Fiesta Mart, offering a variety of Mexican snacks and cold treats. • Opened May 25 • 5510 S. I-35 frontage road, Ste. 250, Austin • Facebook: La Michoacana Plus Austin, TX 4 Noble Joe Coffee Co. The St. Elmo coffee spot offers hot and iced coffee, teas, soda, granola bowls and more. • Opened in May • 511 Industrial Blvd., Austin • www.noblejoe.co 5 Attract Aesthetics The medspa from owner Andrea Petiton specializes in injectables, micro-needling, facials and more. • Opened in April • 4422 Pack Saddle Pass, Ste. 101, Austin • www.attractaa.com 6 Impact Apparel The new thrift shop will raise money toward Dress for Success Austin, a local nonprofit that aims to empower women to achieve economic independence. • Opened June 14 • 3000 S. I-35 frontage road, Ste. 175, Austin • www.dressforsuccessaustin.org/impact-apparel

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Coming soon

7 Fortune Teller The new day-to-night coffee and cocktail bar from owner Thomas Bailey aims to create a gathering spot. • Opening in June • 5604 S. Congress Ave., Austin • www.fortunetelleratx.com

exclusive health exams. • Opened June 3 • 330 Gaines Ranch Loop, Ste. 230, Austin • www.medi.ci/executive-health

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8 Velocity Credit Union The Austin-based, full-service financial institution will open its new location and undergo a rebrand.

Now open

What's next?

• Opening in early 2026 • 3419 Davis Lane, Austin • www.velocitycu.com

9 Hallcon Construction The family-owned construction company offers services for interior and exterior renovations, office and retail tenant build-outs, concrete services and more. • Opening in late 2025 • 804 Shelby Lane, Austin • www.hallcontx.com 10 Poco Loco Supermercado A new Poco Loco Supermercado is planned to open next year, offering meat, produce, canned goods and pastries. • Opening in 2026 • 724 Eberhart Lane, Austin • www.pocolocosupermercado.com 11 Harrell Funeral Home The family-owned funeral home will open a cremation center, offering human and pet cremation services and memorial services for people and pets. • Opening in early 2026 12 Xpress Stop A new convenience store is being built near the intersection of FM 1626 and Old San Antonio Road in South Austin. • Opening TBD • 500 E. FM 1626, Austin • 2302 Western Trails Blvd., Austin • www.harrellfuneralhomes.com

14 Paperboy The Austin brunch spot has opened a second location with a larger kitchen, indoor seating, a covered patio and a walk-up window for to-go orders. The menu features staples from Paperboy’s first location, such as the Texas Hash, B.E.C. Sandwich and Paperboy Pancake in addition to house-made pastries, coffee and cocktails. • Opened June 10

17 JETSET Pilates A new JETSET Pilates studio is planned to open in Sunset Valley Village, according to the business’s website and a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. JETSET offers 50-minute custom classes focusing on strength training, cardio and conditioning. • 5601 Brodie Lane, Austin • www.jetsetpilates.com/tx/south-austin

• 1401 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin • www.paperboyaustin.com

• 2501 W. William Cannon Drive, Ste. 6A, Austin • www.plumeriacounseling.com

In the news

15 Greater Austin YMCA Greater Austin YMCA staff moved into the Austin ISD central office this spring under a five-year contract due to construction impacting its current headquarters at 55 N. I-35 frontage road, Austin. • 4000 S. I-35 frontage road, Austin • www.austinymca.org 16 Plumeria Counseling Center Plumeria Counseling Center is celebrating 10 years in business under the ownership of spouses Alan Vondrell and Michelle Zadrozny. The counseling center offers therapy for adults and takes most insurance plans.

Closings

18 Cici’s Pizza The pizza place closed its South Austin location earlier this year while the North Austin locations remain open. • Closed in the spring • 1901 W. William Cannon Drive, Ste. 107, Austin • www.cicis.com

What’s next

13 Sharp Surgery Center, LLC An ambulatory surgery center is coming to South Lamar later this year, according to a permit filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. • 4544 S. Lamar Blvd., Bldg. 600D, Ste. 600, Austin

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Impacts

Dripping Springs

BY ELISABETH JIMENEZ

2 Peaches Coffee The woman-owned shop is now serving coffee and other beverages at its truck on Nutty Brown Road. Drinks include drip coffee, lattes, matcha, other hot and cold drinks and more. • Opened in March • 13743 Nutty Brown Road, Austin • www.peachescoffee.com 3 Scout and Honor Creamery The new shop offers ice cream that is gluten, soy and peanut free with organic milks and natural colors, according to a social media post. • Opened May 30 • 2001 Hwy. 290, Dripping Springs • www.scoutandhonor.com

Now open

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5 Hill Country Ice House Owned by Robert Blankenship and Andy Stedman, Hill Country Ice House has 16 taps offering Texas craft beer and serves craft cocktails. There is also live music on the weekends and a rotating lineup of food trucks. • Opened May 17

Now Open

Closings

1 Haven The local boutique is catered toward young girls ages 4 to 16. The shop offers clothes, accessories, shoes, gifts and more. • Opened May 17 • 2001 W. Hwy. 290, Ste. 103, Dripping Springs • www.shophaventx.com

4 The Shabby Wick The gift shop from local Nikki Lourens closed its doors, due to “personal and family matters,” said Lourens. The Shabby Wick will continue to offer candles and refills online. • Closed April 30 • 31560 RR 12, Unit 205, Dripping Springs • www.theshabbywick.com

• 9201 Hwy. 290, Austin • www.hcicehouse.com

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Transportation

BY HALEY MCLEOD

Work along Slaughter Lane to begin this summer

Austin airport begins work on expansion Officials celebrated the start of construc- tion May 12 on the Atrium Infill Project that will result in an additional 12,000 square feet for the Arrivals and Departures Hall within the Barbara Jordan Terminal at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. In a nutshell The project is expected to increase capacity for Transportation Security Admin- istration ticketing counter lines, which has in the past extended outside the terminal, according to a news release. What you need to know Travelers can expect temporary construc- tion walls and noise; however, there is no impact anticipated for current TSA security capacity and flight schedules.

Construction is expected along Slaughter Lane between MoPac and just east of Brodie Lane beginning this summer—an updated timeline from original projections—as the city moves forward with adding mobility and safety improvements. The overview This phase of work, known as C2, joins a larger corridor project—spanning FM 1826 to Old Lock- hart Road—aimed at increasing safety for pedestri- ans and bicyclists as well as increasing mobility. The enhancements included expanding the four-lane thoroughfare to a six-lane divided roadway from MoPac to Brodie Lane. Work also includes new traffic signals and cross- walk upgrades at the intersection of Brodie Lane and Bowie High School. At Zuniga Drive, there will also be a new pedestrian crossing light and other safety improvements. The project includes shared paths for both pedestrians and cyclists, curb extensions to make

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street crossings safer and drainage improvements to help manage rainwater and reduce flooding. Work on the Slaughter Lane corridor began in 2021. The total cost is estimated at roughly $23 million for this segment of work and is funded by both voter-approved mobility bonds as well as federal grant funding allocated by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, or CAMPO.

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Government

BY ELISABETH JIMENEZ & BEN THOMPSON

Police license plate reader program halted The Austin Police Department’s use of hundreds of automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, will end this month following community opposition against the data collection initiative. What happened City Council was scheduled to vote on June 5 to indenitely continue an ALPR program. However, public pushback this month led City Manager T.C. Broadnax to withdraw the item to more closely vet the program. An APD spokesperson said the department supports the move to allow for more review and public engagement. Zooming in After city ocials suspended the use of ALPRs in 2020, the technology returned under a one-year pilot program with council-imposed guidelines related to privacy and data-sharing with outside law enforcement agencies. It started last March and was temporarily extended this spring, and a city audit of program results was released in May. APD Chief Lisa Davis said ALPRs were key to solving dozens of criminal cases since early 2024. Opponents on the council dais and in the commu- nity have said the cameras represent surveillance overreach, and that Austin’s contract with public safety technology company Flock Safety allows for unwanted data-sharing with agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ALPR software used in dozens of xed spots and more than 500 police vehicles will now be shut o. While some ocials said they wouldn’t support ALPRs in any form, a program extension could still be considered by the end of 2025. Low aquifer levels in Hays County prompts restrictions Water use restrictions are in place as local aquifer water levels hit historic lows. Zooming out With aquifer levels dropping, the Edwards Aquifer Authority set tighter water restrictions this

Vape sales could be banned near schools New vape shops in Austin will soon be prohibited from selling vape products near schools and daycares. The details A City Council resolution approved this spring calls to prohibit the sale of e-cig- arettes and synthetic nicotine products within 1,000 feet of Austin daycares and public and private schools. City sta will also engage with schools, parents and impacted businesses to receive stakeholder feedback before the policy— which won’t apply to existing shops—when it goes into eect. A draft of the vape-ban ordinance will be presented to council by mid-September. Dig deeper Council member Krista Laine, who drafted the resolution, said the presence of vape shops near schools is harmful for students and that mandatory district discipline related to vaping can negatively aect stu- dent learning. Council member Chito Vela said a sales ban could avoid such discipline. “This resolution is a step toward protect- ing our students from unnecessary crimi- nalization and supporting their health and future,” Vela said. The resolution was supported by Texans for Safe Drug-Free Youth, the American Lung Association, and state Sens. Molly Cook, DHouston, and Donna Campbell, RNew Braunfels.

Council member Mike Siegel joined other ocials and community groups opposed to the program on June 4.

BEN THOMPSONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Millions of license plate scans led to dozens of arrests under a city pilot program. Austin automated license plate reader program results

License plate scans

40M

37,697,936

30M

23,623,874

20M

13,790,311

10M

Trial Q1

Trial Q2

Trial Q3

Arrests

Prosecutions

40 60 80 100

20 0

Trial Q1

Trial Q2

Trial Q3

SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTINCOMMUNITY IMPACT

spring. The EAA called for a Stage 5 management phase, requiring permit holders to reduce with- drawal by 40%. Water levels hadn’t been as low since June 1990. The EAA scaled back to Stage 4 on May 29. Other Hays County residents are also facing low water levels in the Lower Trinity Aquifer. Aquifer data showed a water level decline of 3 feet in April compared to March, and down 6 feet compared to last year. Local water suppliers implemented watering restrictions in May due to the low levels. The U.S. Drought Monitor predicts Hays County will continue to face drought conditions over the next three months.

Watering restrictions

Dripping Springs WSC customers must follow a limited watering schedule.

Watering hours: Either 7-10 a.m. or 7-10 p.m.

Commercial and homeowner association common areas : odd addresses Friday only, even addresses Tuesday only Residential: odd addresses Saturday only, even addresses Sunday only

Schools: Monday only

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Education

BY CHLOE YOUNG

Austin ISD to overhaul 3 middle schools Three Austin ISD middle schools are set to undergo changes next school year, receiving new teachers, administrators and curriculum. These changes are a part of AISD’s turnaround plans to restart Dobie, Webb and Burnet middle schools following two consecutive years of failed accountability ratings from the state. What’s happening AISD ocials have replaced campus administra- tors and some teachers to implement the state’s Accelerating Campus Excellence, or ACE, model for underperforming campuses. The ACE model is used to restart struggling campuses through selecting new leadership and sta as well as using high-quality instructional materials, according to the Texas Education Agency. At Burnet, 68% of educators were invited to return, followed by 57% of Webb sta and 32% of Dobie sta.

Greater Austin YMCA opens at AISD HQ The Greater Austin YMCA opened a new administrative space at the Austin ISD Central Oce building in early June. The overview The Greater Austin YMCA will lease over 16,000 square feet on the fth oor of AISD’s headquarters over the next ve years. The organization relocated from its former space at 55 N. I-35 frontage road, Austin, which will be impacted by construction and aect transportation for employees. AISD will use this rental income to oset the operating expenses for its central oce and redirect budgeted dollars to other areas, according to AISD and YMCA information. The district has cut $63 million from its central oce operations as it faces a nearly $100 million projected budget shortfall.

Burnet Middle School students staged a walk-out to protest the replacement of campus sta on May 12.

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The proposed plan, estimated to cost $1.7 million per campus includes: • Extended school days and shifted schedules • Curriculum standardization • Additional testing • The hiring of new sta and more teachers The board is set to vote on the plans on June 26, after press time.

5 AISD campuses undergoing modernization

1 Oak Springs Elementary 2 McCallum High School 3 Anderson High School 4 Northeast Early College High School and International High School 5 Martin Middle School

completing the rst phase of modernizations for some middle and high school campuses. The details “With these groundbreakings, we’re another step closer to delivering state-of-the-art learning spaces,” boardmember Lynn Boswell said. The rst modernizations are expected to open in the spring of 2026, according to AISD ocials.

The district broke ground on modernization work at ve schools in April and May. Funding for the multimillion-dollar projects was approved by voters in the district’s $2.44 billion bond election in 2022. AISD has now broken ground on 15 of 25 total modernization projects across the district. AISD is completing a full modernization of Oak Springs Elementary, which was built in 1958, while

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Health care

BY HALEY MCLEOD

Health Care Edition

2025

Welcome to Community Impact ’s annual Health Care Edition! This guide explores pivotal developments shaping the medical landscape of Southwest Austin and Dripping Springs. Check out the latest updates from three major hospitals on page 17. Our cover story explores and examines the role telehealth still maintains, even ve years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, learn more about the latest technology innovations in healthcare, when to seek emergency care and how the 2025 legislative session impacted Texas health care.

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Medical experts clarify care options

Who’s providing the care?

No matter the facility, patients might be seen by either a medical doctor or a nurse practitioner—so what’s the dierence? • MD (medical doctor): physicians who complete medical school and residency, can perform surgery, and prescribe medication • NP (nurse practitioner): registered nurses with advanced degrees who can diagnose, treat and prescribe More NP programs are becoming doctoral- level, meaning they involve more advanced education, said Amy Papermaster, a nurse practitioner at Women’s Health. In Texas, NPs must also collaborate with a physician. Papermaster said patients won’t notice much dierence between seeing a nurse practitioner and a physician. Nurse practitioners can diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, prescribe medications, and manage a wide range of conditions.

A sore throat on a Saturday night may leave one wondering, “Should I wait for my doctor, visit urgent care or head to the emergency room?” Amid seasonal illnesses, local experts share tips for choosing the right level of care. “Knowing where to turn during a medical emergency is extremely important for the community, because it [leads] to the best possible outcome and also ensures that they receive the best value for the care provided,” said Laura Hochwalt, vice president of emergency services at St. David’s HealthCare. Hochwalt said doctors are present not only at primary care oces but also at urgent care centers and in emergency room departments.

Knowing where to go

Patients should see a primary care provider for nonurgent health concerns and routine medical care. Primary care oce Urgent care is for after-hours care meant for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries. Urgent care center Emergency rooms are for life-threatening situations, such as traumatic injuries, fractures, burns and stroke-like symptoms. Emergency room

SOURCES: ST. DAVID’S HEALTHCARE, BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Health care

BY SARAH HERNANDEZ & ELISABETH JIMENEZ

Three health care updates from Southwest Austin hospitals

1 Ascension Seton Southwest Ascension Seton Southwest celebrated its 25th anniversary in May. As Southwest Austin continues to grow, the hospital also continues to expand its services. What’s new In November, Ascension Seton Southwest opened its fourth operating room. According to Patrick Paver, hospital administrator for Ascension Seton Southwest, the hospital performs over roughly 750 orthopedic surgeries and 300 general surgeries yearly. The new operating room features new lights and high-denition technology for endoscopy towers, which allows surgeons to more closely examine the inside of the body. Ascension Seton Southwest’s outpatient care services have also grown signicantly, which includes pediatric rehabilitation in collaboration with Dell Children’s Emergency Care and cardiac rehabilitation. Paver said those programs have grown 15-20% every year since they opened. Paver said the hospital is also on track to open an intermediate care unit, or IMU, at the end of this year. Paver said the IMU will allow more patients to recover closer to home. Ascension Seton’s Central Austin campus at 1201 W. 38th St., Austin, is on track to open its new women’s tower early next year, according to a hospital representative.

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3 St. David’s South Austin Medical Center St. David’s South Austin Medical Center renovated and expanded its women’s services unit earlier this year. The features According to St. David’s HealthCare CEO David Hustutler, the expansion included new labor and delivery rooms and an additional cesarean section unit. The project also renovated existing C-section suites. The project cost $20 million and is part of St. David’s HealthCare’s plan to build nearly $1 billion in health care infrastructure across Central Texas, which includes a $249 million project at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, according to previous reporting from Community Impact.

Austin-area residents can now receive specialized care for stroke emergencies and treatment at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Austin. The overview The medical center is now a designated primary stroke center, or PSC, following a national certication by The Joint Commission in collaboration with the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. As a PSC, the medical center oers specialized treatment for stroke patients including: • Board-certiied telehealth neurologists The services at the medical center allow patients to receive comprehensive care in one central place, rather than having to travel to another hospital for stroke treatment. Dr. Farzan Ghodsianzadeh, neurologist and medical director of stroke care at BS&W Medical Center-Austin, said the center sees a “signicant number” of patients in the area. He said the team is also seeing more patients under 50 impacted by stroke, making the PSC especially important. “Having a certied stroke center right here in Austin brings expert care closer to where our younger population lives, which means faster treatment and better outcomes,” he said. • Emergency physicians • Stroke-trained nurses

St. David’s South Austin Medical Center added new features to its women’s unit earlier this year.

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BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

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Health care

BY HALEY MCLEOD

While Travis County maternal health data indicates better than average outcomes compared to the state, disparities still persist, according to local social service workers, especially among racial lines. One way health professionals assess a community’s maternal health is by examining preterm birth rates, according to Austin Public Health. A high rate of preterm births, occurring before 37 weeks of pregnancy, is often tied to underlying challenges facing mothers, said Estephanie Olivares, an APH program supervisor. County ocials track these rates to identify gaps in care for the community. TravCo program focuses on at- risk mothers

What’s being done

Items worth mentioning

After Texas lawmakers banned most abortions in 2021, hundreds of women faced higher risk of complications—including death—due to delayed or denied care, according to a testimony during the 2025 Texas Legislative session and ProPublica data that was cited in feedback to the bill and in a lawsuit against the state. The law was intended to protect unborn life by banning abortion after six weeks. Since the bill passed, the sepsis rate has doubled among pregnant Texans, the report states. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body has an extreme response to infection, which can lead to organ failure. Recently, the Texas Legislature approved Senate Bill 31 that claries the state’s near-total abortion bans, providing more direction for doctors when treating life- threatening conditions before a patient faces “imminent” death.

TravCo percentage of births with no or late prenatal care Prenatal care is crucial for preventive measures that improve outcomes in maternal and child health, per APH.

White: 10.8%

Black: 22.9%

Hispanic: 27.4%

Other: 14.7%

SOURCE: AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTHCOMMUNITY IMPACT NOTE: DATA IS FROM 2022, THE MOST RECENT YEAR AVAILABLE

Locally, APH created the Maternal Infant Out- reach program to “bridge the gap,” Olivares said. She explained that the organization is a “sister- hood” that meets with expecting and new mothers to help address socioeconomic factors such as housing, access to food and access to health care. Community health workers conduct regular home visits, providing education and resources. “In addition to just the regular barriers to care and quality of life, there is implicit bias and even medical racism that is experienced that adds an additional layer to why we see a lot of that disparity in Black maternal health,” Olivares said. Since the state of Texas has implemented restric- tive legislation surrounding pregnancy-related procedures, providing resources and information has been more limited, Olivares said. “It’s not just Black women, it’s all women. ... It seems like we’re having [more] tough conversa- tions,” she said.

TravCo preterm birth rates

“We are in no way promoting abortion—what we are trying to do is save the life or the major bodily functions [of women]. I get a little emotional about this, but I’ve

Travis County Preterm births are tracked in the county to identify gaps in early and postpartum care.

got friends who watched their wives nearly bleed out and become septic. That’s the driver in this.” REP. CHARLIE GEREN, RFORT WORTH

2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% Percent of babies born before 37 weeks

SOURCES: MARCH OF DIMES, NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Health care

BY ELISABETH JIMENEZ

With Texas heat and humidity, people with diabetes can struggle to cool down, facing a greater chance of experiencing heat-related illnesses, experts have found. For a person without medical problems, the body Diabetic people face health risks with Texas heat

adapts to heat through sweat production and blood vessels, said Dr. Natalie Williams, family medicine doctor at Austin Regional Clinic. Sweat, which contains salt and water from the body, comes up to the skin, gets evaporated and helps the body cool down. Blood vessels can expand or shrink to disperse heat throughout the body, such as bringing the heat up to the skin instead of keeping the heat internally. However, because people with diabetes have excess sugar in their blood, that can disrupt the body’s natural cool-down mechanisms, Williams said. People with diabetes are more likely to get dehydrated because of the excess sugar, creating

a lack of water in the body needed for sweat production. Additionally, some people with diabetes can have damaged blood vessels, preventing them from effectively cooling down, she said.

“Heat stroke is very dangerous, and so the hope is to not ever get to heat exhaustion

if we can because heat stroke is the next step.” DR. NATALIE WILLIAMS, AUSTIN REGIONAL CLINIC

The risks

Handling heat

These struggles with regulating body tempera- ture and dehydration can lead to greater risks of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, she said. Williams said that she anticipates an increased risk for heat-related illnesses in the coming sum- mer months. She said last year she and the ARC medical staff saw cases of “very bad dehydration,” including in nondiabetic patients. So far this year, Austin has seen above average temperatures since January and below average precipitation, data from the NWS shows. For the June to August months, NWS is predicting temperatures will be above normal, according to a NWS forecast issued May 15. “If you are in the middle of downtown or you’re going to be on the east side, there’s not as much shade as there would be,” she said. “If you’re in the middle of Zilker [Park], it’s hard to get to an AC, but there’s plenty of space for shade.”

Williams said that diabetic patients should be mindful of how heat can affect medicine and equipment. She said some medicines such as insulin are heat-sensitive and can lose effectiveness when exposed to heat. Equipment such as pumps, monitors and glucose test strips can be damaged by heat. Glucose test strips can also go bad in the sunlight. Williams recommends talking with a doctor to understand individual heat-related risks. “Have conversations with your doctor about how to take care of yourself in the heat because every condition has something else that you may need to keep an eye on,” she said. Checking the heat index, which measures temperature and humidity, is a way to prepare for the day, Williams said.

Williams said both diabetic and nondiabetic people can deal with high temperatures in a variety of ways, including:

Working out in the morning

Avoiding sugary and caffeinated drinks

Checking the heat index

Wearing loose, light- colored clothing

Ensuring access to shade or air conditioning

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Health care

BY BEN THOMPSON

APH managing federal funding losses

What’s next

Federal adjustments can more heavily affect APH given the department’s large share of grant-supported work, with less than half of its more than 640 staff positions funded locally. Sturrup said, in a worst-case scenario, APH could lose funding for 328 full-time employees. She said a bright spot amid recent changes has been their ability to avoid cutting any workers so far. Partnering with human resources officials, APH has been able to reassign grant-funded staff to other positions within the department or elsewhere with the city. That process has ensured no lost employees, even if staff aren’t placed in their desired roles if public health capacity is reduced. APH and related resident services could be in line for further changes based on federal funding decisions, including the passage of a new federal budget later this year.

In total, APH expects millions of dollars in losses that translate to various programs and dozens of staff positions. Sturrup said the losses will affect overall community health preparedness and response efforts. For example, APH is losing capacity to conduct high-cost measles case tracking and screenings for a variety of conditions.

Austin Public Health officials have faced local effects of funding cuts at the federal level. Impacts include current losses in grant funding and expected future losses through ongoing budget deliberations. APH Director Adrienne Sturrup said the changes have affected employee morale, services and leave the community more vulnerable to disease.

APH funding Many APH programs and staff positions are funded through grants.

314.5

$39.44M

328.5

$92.07M

City budget Grant funding

$131.5M Fiscal year 2024-25 budget:

Employees*

*FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT, OR FTE, POSITION COUNT BASED ON TOTAL EMPLOYEE WORKLOAD

SOURCE: AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Health care

BY BEN THOMPSON

BY SARAH HERNANDEZ

“Squads,” or life-saving SUV units, are now replacing some Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services ambulances. The new squad pilot program started April 22 after years of consideration and several months of formal development, EMS spokesperson Capt. Christa Stedman said. The change is meant to improve call and personnel management within budget limitations, according to ATCEMS, while the city medics’ union says 911 responses are being negatively impacted. Local ambulance service scale down

Cell therapy advances at St. David’s

What to expect

The takeaway

The department will monitor response times and other metrics under the stang change, with adjustments to be made as needed. “This approach is part of a broader evolution in how EMS systems across the country are adapting to growing call volumes and increasingly complex patient needs,” ocials said.

St. David’s oerings have expanded since launching in 2014 with only one treatment type. While it’s not an academic center, Ramakrishnan said physicians still do a lot of research and work with professionals across the national therapy network. The program has now served more than 1,000 people. “When I got here in 2014, they told me we were going to do about six procedures for the rst year. I think we did 27. People have just been ocking here,” he said. “We’re grateful that, again, we’re able to provide these services to the community.” Ramakrishnan said service improvements, added clinical trials and new oce spaces around Austin are possible in the program’s future.

For over a decade, St. David’s South Austin Medical Center has oered the city’s only selection of cellular therapies for various blood cancers. Through the Sarah Cannon Transplant & Cellular Therapy Network, hundreds of patients have had access to dierent types of transplant treatments while being able to stay close to home. “Imagine having to drive to another city where the service is available. That’s a big burden,” Program Director Dr. Aravind Ramakrishnan said. “They have these diseases, they’re horrible, they have to drive to their appointment, they have to spend all this time, they often need a caregiver. It really upends their life. To keep them home in their bed around their support network, I think it’s huge for the patients.”

St. David’s South Austin facility provides three specic cellular cancer treatments. Treatment types Autologous transplant Patients’ own stems cells are harvested while they’re treated with high-dose chemotherapy, before cells are reintroduced to patients. This treats cancers like multiple myeloma and Hodgkins lymphoma. Allogeneic transplant Patients are evaluated for a transplant over several months, and a cell donor is selected and then treated with chemo or radiation before cells are transfused. This treats cancers like leukemia. CAR T-cell therapy Immune cells from the patient or a donor are extracted and genetically modied. Patients receive treatment like chemo before the cells are infused to target cancers. This treats cancers like lymphoma.

Ambulance: • Paramedic and EMT • Advanced gear, patient transportation capacity

Squad: • One paramedic • Less equipment and

Going forward

medication onboard, no patient transport capacity

Ambulances have full patient transport capacity but squad units can’t transport patients. Squads are now in service from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. based on daily EMS stang and call volume.

COURTESY AUSTINTRAVIS COUNTY EMS Austin medics are responding to calls with both ambulance and squad units.

SOURCE: ST. DAVID’S HEALTHCARECOMMUNITY IMPACT

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