South Central Austin Edition | June 2025

Health care

BY BEN THOMPSON

“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 scales down

APH managing federal funding losses

What to expect

What’s next

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.

Federal adjustments can more heavily aect APH given the department’s large share of grant-supported work, with less than half of its more than 640 sta 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 ocials, APH has been able to reassign grant-funded sta to other positions within the department or elsewhere with the city. That process has ensured no lost employees, even if sta 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 sta positions. Sturrup said the losses will aect overall community health preparedness and response eorts. For example, APH is losing capacity to conduct high-cost measles case tracking and screenings for a variety of conditions.

Austin Public Health ocials have faced local eects 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 aected employee morale, services and leave the community more vulnerable to disease.

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

Squad: • One paramedic • Less equipment and

Going forward

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

medication onboard, no patient transport capacity

314.5

$39.44M

328.5

$92.07M

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.

City budget Grant funding

$131.5M Fiscal year 2024-25 budget:

Employees*

*FULLTIME EQUIVALENT, OR FTE, POSITION COUNT BASED ON TOTAL EMPLOYEE WORKLOAD

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

SOURCE: AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTHCOMMUNITY IMPACT

BRODIE LANE 4970 W Hwy 290 (512) 366-8260

NORTH LAMAR 914 North Lamar (512) 214-6665

SOUTHPARK MEADOWS 9900 S I-35 Frontage Rd (512) 280-7400