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>> ALL RIGHT. THE TIME IS NOW 10:02 A.M. ON OCTOBER 23, 2025, AND WE WILL CALL THE COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEE TO ORDER. MADAME CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
[Approval of Minutes ]
>> CLERK: CHAIR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THE FIRST ITEM WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA IS THE MINUTES. SO WE'LL GO OVER THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MINUTES FROM ANYONE ON THE COMMITTEE? GREAT. CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? ANY SECONDS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES.
[Public Comments ]
>> AYE. >> GALVAN: ANY OPPOSED, ABSTENTIONS? GREAT. NEXT WE GO INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE A FEW FOLKS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR TODAY'S AGENDA.
WE'LL START OFF WITH DIANA LOPEZ. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
>> LAST WEEK WE WERE IN THIS ROOM AGAIN TALKING ABOUT HEAT-RELATED DEATHS AND THE IMPORTANCE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PROPERLY TRACKING AND CREATING DATA THAT COULD POTENTIALLY SAVE LIVES. I KNOW RIGHT NOW IT'S GETTING COOLER SO THE URGENCY ISN'T AS IMPORTANT, BUT WE PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT SIX MONTHS BEFORE WE START REACHING TRIPLE DIGITS. LATHIS YEAR WE STARTED REACHING TRIPLE DIGITS IN APRIL AND THE SYMPTOMS ARE GOING TO GET WORSE. WHY WE'RE HERE IS BECAUSE IT'S UP TO THIS COMMITTEE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO BE ABLE TO TRACK THOSE PIECES BY BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCURATE DATA. IT ENSURES THAT THE PROPER RESOURCES, THE PROPER FUNDING, THE PROPER SOLUTION IS BEING BROUGHT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THAT MIGHT LOOK DIFFERENTLY BASED ON CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS. I'M IN DISTRICT 2. I'M VERY CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN.
PART OF WHAT WE FACE IS MANY PEOPLE COMING TO OUR CENTER SEEKING WATER.
SEEKING SHELTER. PEOPLE WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, WALKING.
PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHOUSED. PEOPLE WHO JUST NEED A BREAK BETWEEN WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND WHERE THEY LIVE. AND THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SORT OF WHY THIS TOPIC IS SO IMPORTANT TO US. LAST WEEK -- OR THE WEEK BEFORE WE HAD A PERSON WHO WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY SHOW UP TO OUR DOOR. AFTER ABOUT ONLY -- IT ONLY TOOK ABOUT 10, 15 MINUTES OF JUST SITTING DOWN, RESTING, HAVING SOMETHING TO DRINK.
AND THAT REALLY HELPED THE PERSON. THIS PERSON WAS UNHOUSED.
WE HAVE SEEN HIM MANY TIMES. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO THINK ABOUT SORT OF WHAT SOLUTIONS COULD BE HAD, NOT ONLY FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE AFRAID TO TURN ON THEIR ACS BECAUSE OF HIGH BILLS, BUT ALSO RESIDENTS WHO HAVE TO WALK, WHO TAKE THE BUS, WHO WORK OUTSIDE. ALL OF THESE FACTORS PLAY A LARGER ROLE.
AND WITH THE WORSENING CLIMATE, WE START SEEING THE RISE IN DEATHS.
AND IF THE DATA IS NOT EXISTING, IF THERE AREN'T CREATIVE WAYS, IF THERE ISN'T AN INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION THAT ENSURES THAT THIS IS TRACKED ALL THE WAY FROM AGENCIES DOWN TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS DOWN TO PEOPLE, THEN THAT DATA ISN'T GOING TO EXIST AND WE AREN'T GOING TO KNOW THE TRUE SYMPTOMS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. AND HOUSTON ACTUALLY JUST LAUNCHED ONE THAT ALONGSIDE THEIR TRACKER FORUM, TRACKS DIFFERENT ILLNESSES THAT ARE ALSO EXACERBATED BY THE HEAT. THINKING ABOUT IT IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO ACCESS THAT DATA IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. SO I JUST CAME HERE.
I KNOW IT'S NOT ON THE ITEM BUT I JUST CAME HERE BECAUSE IT WILL BE SOON.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT IT'S AN URGENT AND IMPORTANT TOPIC
TO KEEP ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ERICA ALVARADO.
ERICA, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> HI.
MY NAME IS ERICA ALVARADO. I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 2.
I ALSO WORK AT DISTRICT 2 AT SOUTHWEST WORKERS UNION . LAST WEEK WE SAW THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CONTINUE THE WORK ON THE CCR.
NOW THE CCR IS AT THIS COMMITTEE AND I'M ASKING THIS COMMITTEE CONTINUE THAT
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URGENCY. THE TEMPERATURES ARE NOT GONE AND THE HEAT WILL BE BACK AGAIN. THE NEED TO HAVE HEAT-RELATED DEATHS TRACKED AND REPORTED TO THE PUBLIC IS VERY IMPORTANT. AS MY BOSS MENTIONED, THERE'S A LOT OF HOUSELESS FOLKS THAT COME TO OUR AREA. WE'RE RIGHT OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN. WE SEE NOT ONLY HOUSELESS NEIGHBORS BUT JUST PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S VERY HOT.WE NEED THIS DATA TRACKED SO THAT WE CAN GET THE CITY TO ACT ON.
COOLING CENTERS AND A LOT OF OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT WE HAVE MOLLY.
>> HI. I WASN'T SURE WHAT TO SAY THIS MORNING TO THE FOUR OF Y'ALL. FIVE OF Y'ALL. BUT IT'S JUST EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT Y'ALL TRACK HEAT-RELATED DEATHS. BUT NOT ONLY THAT BUT ALSO COLD-RELATED DEATHS AS WELL. BECAUSE AS WE ALL REMEMBER PATRICIA LAWRENCE CLIMBED THE CITY TOWER BUILDING, DIDN'T WANT TO FACE ANY ONE, TWO, THREE MONTHS OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES. IT IS NOT FREEZING AT 32 DEGREES.
IT'S FREEZING AT 50 AND 60 DEGREES WHEN YOU'RE OUTSIDE AND YOU HAVE NOTHING. IT'S EXTREMELY COLD AT 50 AND 60 AND THAT IS WHY PATRICIA LAWRENCE WALKED UP THE CITY TOWER BUILDING AND FELL TO HER DEATH.
BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO ANOTHER COLD SEASON. BUT IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE TRACK HEAT-RELATED DEATHS AND COLD-RELATED DEATHS AS WELL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? ALL RIGHT.
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
WE CAN MOVE INTO ITEM NO. 2. THE SAN ANTONIO FILM INCENTIVE UPDATE.KRYSTAL JONES, PLEASE COME UP FOR THE PRESENTATION. >> JONES: THANK YOU, CHAIR. GOOD MORNING, COMMITTEE. LET ME PULL THIS UP.
I'M EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT THE SAN ANTONIO FISCAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM AND A VERY WORTHY UPDATE TO THIS PROGRAM, GIVEN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STATE AND IN THE CLIMATE WITH FILM IN TEXAS. SO FIRST, IF YOU WEREN'T AWARE, THE SAN ANTONIO FILM COMMISSION, MANAGED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE , WE WORK SINCE 1985 TO PROMOTE SAN ANTONIO TO GLOBAL FILM AND MEDIA INDUSTRIES. AND WE DO THIS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS WITH MARKETING, ADVERTISING. WE ALSO HAVE OUR FILM COMMISSIONER BEHIND US, CHRISTINE HILL. SHE WILL BE IN AUSTIN TODAY JOINING FILM COMMISSIONS FROM AROUND THE STATE TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF INCENTIVES AND THIS IMPORTANT TIME IN TEXAS FOR FILMING. WE'RE ON THE ROAD AND THEN ALSO MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT WHEN IT COMES TO FILM AND MEDIA INDUSTRY TO LET THEM KNOW THAT SAN ANTONIO IS OPEN FOR FILMING. WE MANAGE FILM PERMITTING FOR 250 CITY-OWNED PROPERTIES. WE HAVE PRODUCTION DIRECTORY AND LOCATION DIRECTORY, WHICH HELPS PRODUCTIONS FIND CAST AND CREW TO WORK ON THEIR PROJECTS AS WELL AS LOCATIONS. AND THEN WE ALSO FACILITATE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OUR PARTNERS AT OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM WHEN IT COMES TO STREET CLOSURES THAT MIGHT BE NEEDED. IF YOU REMEMBER 1923 HAD A SIGNIFICANT STREET CLOSURE ON BROADWAY NEAR THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
WORKING WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM AND OTHER ENTITIES THAT MANAGE CITY-OWNED LOCATIONS TO MAKE SURE FILMING CAN HAPPEN HERE EASILY.
WE ALSO SUPPORT LOCAL FILM MAKERS THROUGH OUR ARTIST GRANTS.
ABOUT $7500 OR $15,000 TO ARTISTS. WE'VE HAD 22 LOCAL FILMMAKERS RECEIVE THOSE GRANTS. ONE OF THOSE IS AMERICAN SONS WHICH PREMIERED BY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST. WE PROVIDE NONPROFITS FILM FESTIVALS IN SAN ANTONIO UP TO 20% OF THEIR BUDGET AND IT HAS FESTIVALS INCLUDING THE LONGEST RUNNING LATINO FILM FESTIVAL IN THE NATION. WE HAVE SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL BLACK FILM FESTIVAL, BRINGING PEOPLE TO SAN ANTONIO TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE FILMING HAPPENING HERE OF COURSE WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, ONE OF OUR SIGNIFICANT TOOLS TO BRING FILMMAKES HERE IS OUR FILM INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
THE PROGRAM IS A REBATE PROGRAM AND RIGHT NOW IT IS A 7.5% REBATE.
IT WORKS VERY MUCH LIKE THE STATE'S REBATE PROGRAM AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE STATE'S PROGRAM AND OUR PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY WORK VERY WELL TOGETHER BUT THEY CAN BE USED INDEPENDENTLY. YOU'LL SEE THE PROGRAM TIMELINE.
THIS FILM INCENTIVE WAS PASSED IN 2016 AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR
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OF 2017 AND WE STARTED TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM IN THE SPRING OF 2017.WE DID HAVE A PAUSE BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE IMPACT TO THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX. WE BROUGHT THE PROGRAM BACK ONLINE IN 2022 BUT THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT FILM INDUSTRY STRIKES IN 2023 THAT REALLY STOPPED PRODUCTION IN ITS TRACKS. NOW THAT THAT TIME IS OVER AND NOW WE HAVE SENATE BILL 2022, WHICH IS INFUSING $300 MILLION EACH TWO-YEAR CYCLE FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION INTO OUR INDUSTRY HERE IN TEXAS. YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT'S THE TIME WE HAVE NEW GUIDELINES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY AND BRING TO COUNCIL AT A LATER DATE TO TALK ABOUT UPDATING AND PREPARING SAN ANTONIO FOR THE BIG SCREEN. YOU'LL SEE THE TEXAS MOVING INDUSTRY INCENTIVE FUNDING TIMELINE WHERE WE WERE SITTING AT THE 2022-2023 FISCAL YEAR AT $45 MILLION FOR THAT TWO-YEAR PERIOD. NOW WE'RE UP TO THAT $300 MILLION FOR 2026, ALL THE WAY TO FISCAL YEAR '35, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR PRODUCTIONS BECAUSE AT THE TIME WHEN WE ONLY HAD A TWO-YEAR PROGRAM THAT WASN'T A FULL TEN-YEAR COMMITMENT.
PRODUCTIONS WOULD SAY I HAVE A TV SERIES AND I DON'T WANT TO BE MOVING OUR TEAMS EVERY TWO YEARS BECAUSE TEXAS DOESN'T HAVE A COMMITTED PROGRAM.
THIS TEN-YEAR COMMITMENT IS GOING TO REALLY PUT US IN A POSITION TO KEEP PRODUCTIONS HERE IN THE STATE SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO MOVE IN BETWEEN A TV SERIES SEASON.
NOW, YOU MIGHT SAY HOW DOES THE SATE INCENTIVE IMPACT FILMING HERE IN SAN ANTONIO? YOU CAN SEE BETWEEN 2022 AND 2023 AND '24 AND '25 THAT WAS WHEN THE INCENTIVE WENT FROM $45 MILLION TO $200 MILLION. WE SAW A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN FILM INCENTIVES. NOT ONLY IS THE INCENTIVE A FINANCIAL TOOL FOR PRODUCTIONS TO COME TO A STATE AND DECIDE TO COME TO A STATE OR CITY BUT IT IS A MARKETING TOOL. IT LETS PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS A FILM-FRIENDLY STATE AND IF WE HAVE AN INCENTIVE IN THE CITY, A FILM-FRIENDLY CITY. THE INCENTIVE GETS A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS IN THE DOOR AND THEN IF THE INCENTIVE DOESN'T WORK OUT WITH THE PRODUCTION, WE FOUND THAT A LOT OF PRODUCTIONS STILL DECIDE TO FILM HERE ONCE THEY'VE COME TO SEE SAN ANTONIO. WE ALL LIVE HERE.
WE KNOW WHY WE LOVE IT AND THAT'S WHY PRODUCTIONS LOVE IT AS WELL.
IT HAS LOCATIONS THAT YOU CAN'T FIND ANYWHERE ELSE. THESE ARE A FEW OF THE RESULTS OF THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM. I KNOW I TALKED ABOUT THE TIMELINE AND THERE WERE SOME INDUSTRY STRIKES AND THE PANDEMIC, OF COURSE, IMPACTED THE FUNDING. BUT THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED AT $250,000 A YEAR OUT OF THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX. AND WE HAVE HAD A TOTAL OF EIGHT PROJECTS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, FOUR IN JUST THIS YEAR ALONE, THIS FISCAL YEAR.
BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THE NEWS AT THE STATE LEVEL IS HITTING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND EVEN WORLDWIDE ABOUT HOW TEXAS IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
BUT THIS PROGRAM AGAIN IS A REBATE PROGRAM. IT'S A REBATE PROGRAM ON EXPENSES THAT ARE SPENT IN SAN ANTONIO. SO THESE ARE SAN ANTONIO WAGES. THIS IS CATERING FOR CAST AND CREW, LOCATIONS.
SO THEY ONLY GET -- THE PRODUCTIONS ONLY GET A REBATE ON WHAT THEY'VE SPENT IN SAN ANTONIO AND IT'S MAKING SURE THAT OUR WORKFORCE ARE ENGAGED IN PRODUCTIONS. YOU'VE SEEN THERE'S 216 LOCAL HIRES ESTIMATED RIGHT NOW FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR THESE FOUR PROJECTS WITH A $600,000 LOCAL SPEND.
SO, AGAIN, IT'S BIG BUSINESS FOR OUR LOCAL FILM CAST AND CREW AND ALSO OUR LOCATIONS.
NOW WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE A COMPETITIVE SET? A LOT OF CITIES WITH THE NEWS OF THE TEXAS FILM INCENTIVE HAVE NOW STARTED TO LOOK AT FILM INCENTIVES ON A CITY LEVEL. AUSTIN JUST EARLIER THIS MONTH INCREASED THEIR INCENTIVE TO 2.5%. HOUSTON, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH, HAS A 10% REBATE NOW. WE WERE AT 7.5%, THE STRONGEST FILM INCENTIVE IN TEXAS IN SAN ANTONIO AND WE KNEW THAT WITH THE NEWS OF THE SENATE BILL 22 AND ADDITIONAL ATTENTION TO TEXAS, IT WOULD BE TIME TO UPDATE THIS NEARLY DECADE-LONG PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER CITIES, LIKE AS YOU SEE HOUSTON GETTING TO THAT 10% REBATE ALREADY. WE'VE GOT PITTSBURGH AT 10%.
NOW IS THE TIME TO REALLY GET INTO THAT NARRATIVE THAT SAN ANTONIO IS STILL A FILM-FRIENDLY CITY. WE ALSO HAVE A VIEW OF LOCAL PRODUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT IS ONE PIECE OF THE PIE THAT WE DON'T HAVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
ONE THING THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT. THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS A MEDIA PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT ZONE AND WHAT THAT DOES, IT DESIGNATES A CERTAIN AREA
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FOR SALES AND USE TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR NEW BUILDS AND RENOVATIONS OF STUDIOS.IT IS LED BY STUDIO FACILITIES. SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO WITH A NUMBER OF PRODUCTION COMPANIES WHO HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN THIS. YOU'LL SEE AUSTIN, DALLAS, AND FORT WORTH HAVE LARGE PRODUCTION FACILITIES SO THAT EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY PIECES OF A PIE THAT COME TOGETHER TO BUILD A FILM AND THE INCENTIVE PROGRAM IS ONE THAT SAN ANTONIO HAS LED WITH FOR THIS PAST DECADE AND THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO LEAD WITH.
NOW THE COMPETITIVE SET AT LARGE. THE STATE OF TEXAS' FILM INCENTIVE HAS 31% FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS. THAT'S A REBATE YOU CAN GET.
YOU HAVE TO BE SPENDING WELL INTO A $3 MILLION RANGE IN THE STATE.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT EVEN AT 31%, THE STATE ITSELF IS STILL BEING BEAT OUT BY PLACES LIKE NEW MEXICO, LOUISIANA, GEORGIA, MEXICO, CANADA, U.K.
IF WE HAVE A LOCAL INCENTIVE HERE OF 10% WITH SOME ADDITIONAL UPLIFTS IS WHAT WE WOULD CALL THEM, BUT ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE MARKERS, WE WOULD BE COMPETITIVE ON A STATE LEVEL AS WELL AS COMPARED TO OUR OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS.
SO THE PROPOSED UPDATES. I'VE ALREADY GIVEN A LOT OF REASONS OF WHY THESE UPDATES. WE HAVE THE NEXT DECADE OF COMMITMENT TO FILM AT THE STATE LEVEL, SO SAN ANTONIO REALLY WANTS TO BE LEADING IN THE CONVERSATION.
WE WANT TO SUPPORT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE A HUGE GROWING TALENT OF FILMMAKERS HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. UTSA HAS A FOUR-YEAR PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN 2022 AND THAT ENROLLMENT HAS MORE THAN FOUR TIMES INCREASED.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT 300 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THAT PROGRAM THIS YEAR.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A REAL DRIVE TO BE IN THE FILM INDUSTRY BY OUR LOCAL CAST AND CREW. WE WANT TO STAY COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER CITIES AND THEN OF COURSE OUR GUIDELINES ARE A BIT UPDATED. EVEN THE NAME NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FRIENDLY TO THE TONGUE AS WELL.
HERE'S THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES. WE WANT TO JUST NAME IT THE SAN ANTONIO FILM INCENTIVE BECAUSE IT CAN BE USED INDEPENDENTLY BUT IT ALSO CAN BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STATE'S INCENTIVE. WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING THIS UP TO A 10% BASE INCENTIVE. AGAIN, NOT INCREASING THE POT OF MONEY IN THE BUCKET, JUST INCREASING ACCESS TO THAT POT OF MONEY TO 10%. THEN WE HAVE THESE UPLIFTS, WHICH I'LL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THE NEXT SLIDES.
AGAIN, IT'S LOOKING AT LOCAL HIRES AND HIRING VETERANS. AND THEN ALSO EXPANDING OUR ELIGIBILITY TO INCLUDE COMMERCIALS. COMMERCIALS ARE A VERY BIG MARKET FOR SAN ANTONIO AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT INSTEAD OF SOMEONE GOING TO FILM THEM IN AUSTIN, DALLAS, HOUSTON, THEY'RE COMING HERE TO SAN ANTONIO.
ESPECIALLY THE COMPANIES THAT ARE BASED HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND THEN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. WE WANT TO ADD A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMPONENT, WHICH I'LL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT LATER HERE.
SO THIS UPLIFT, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, THIS 2% UPLIFT.
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW ON THE SCREEN, THIS CHART, IS WHAT PRODUCTIONS HAVE TO HIRE WHEN THEY'RE HIRING STATE OF TEXAS CAST AND CREW.
SO THIS IS STATE PARAMETERS HERE FOR 35% FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
35% OF YOUR CAST AND CREW NEED TO BE FROM TEXAS. AND THEN EVERY TWO YEARS THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE. AGAIN, THAT THOUGHT OF MORE PRODUCTIONS WILL START TO COME HERE, CAST AND CREW WILL BE TRAINED. THEREFORE, MORE CAST AND CREW WILL BE AVAILABLE AS THE WORKFORCE GROWS. OUR SAN ANTONIO UPLIFT THAT WE WANT TO LOOK AT IS IF PROJECTS EXCEED THE MINIMUM HIRE REQUIREMENT FOR SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS, WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO RECEIVE 2% REBATE.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE STATE REQUIRES YOU TO HIRE 35% OF YOUR CAST AND CREW FROM TEXAS. IF 35% OF YOUR CAST AND CREW ARE FROM SAN ANTONIO YOU WOULD GET AN ADDITIONAL 2% FROM THE CITY FOR DOING THAT.
AGAIN, JUST REALLY ENFORCING THE MATTER THAT WE NEED TO HIRE.
THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST UPLIFT WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER FOR THIS PROGRAM.
THE SECOND IS THAT THE STATE HAS AN UPLIFT INCENTIVE OF 2.5% IF 5% OF YOUR CAST AND CREW ARE VETERANS. WE'RE MILITARY CITY, USA, WE THINK WE SHOULD OWN THIS CATEGORY. SO, AGAIN, HAVING AN UPLIFT OF 2% AVAILABLE FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IF 5% OF YOUR VETERAN HIRE REQUIRED BY THE STATE ARE SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS. MAKING SURE OUR SAN ANTONIO VETERANS ARE FRONT AND CENTER WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING SURE THAT WE ESTABLISH OURSELVES AS A
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FILM CITY AND MILITARY CITY, USA. AND THEN I TALKED ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL EXPANDABILITY. THESE ARE THE ELIGIBLE PROJECTS ON THE LEFT.INELIGIBLE ARE NEWS, CURRENT EVENTS, TALK SHOWS, INFOMERCIALS, GALAS.
THIS IS TO LOOK AT FILM TOURISM, FEATURE FILMS THAT ESTABLISH SAN ANTONIO AS A FILM-FRIENDLY CITY BUT ALSO A PLACE PEOPLE WANT TO VISIT.
I KNOW THERE IS A FILM TOURISM SECTOR WHERE PEOPLE WILL SEE WHERE MY FAVORITE MOVIE. WE HAVE THOSE FOLKS SEEKING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY WITH VISIT SAN ANTONIO TO TELL THIS FILM STORY AS WELL. FINALLY, THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
IF A PROJECT IS QUALIFIED FOR A FILM INCENTIVE, FIRST THEY'RE QUALIFIED THEN THEY HAVE TO COMPLETE THEIR PROJECT AND SUBMIT THEIR EXPENSES AND THEN THEY GET THEIR CHECK. THEY HAVE TO SHOW PROOF THEY WORKED WITH THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION TO HAVE A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMPONENT.
WHETHER IT'S A PANEL DISCUSSION OR, EVEN BETTER, IF THEY HAVE A CHANCE FOR INTERNS ON SET FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN ON SET. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE PRODUCTION NEEDS TO ESTABLISH WITH ONE OF OUR LOCAL HIGHER ED INSTITUTIONS AND HAVE THIS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMPONENT BEFORE THEY GET A CHECK FROM US.
SO THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL THING WE FEEL IS VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WITH HOW MANY STUDENTS WE HAVE GOING THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS AT ALAMO COLLEGES AND UTSA.
AND UIW. SO, WITH THAT, WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER THIS TO GO TO THE NOVEMBER 6 CITY COUNCIL A SESSION. IF APPROVED, WE WOULD BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION AND MARKETING IMMEDIATELY. THIS WILL BE VERY BIG NEWS.
I KNOW THAT THERE WAS JUST A STUDY THAT WAS PUT OUT BY U.T. AUSTIN, THE MOODY CENTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS, TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT OF SENATE BILL 22 ON TEXAS .
AND IT ALREADY ESTABLISHED THAT SAN ANTONIO IS A LEADER WITH THE FILM INCENTIVE.
OF COURSE, THAT WAS PUBLISHED RIGHT BEFORE THE NEWS OF HOUSTON DOING THAT 10%, SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE OUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS STATE AND IN THIS INDUSTRY.
AND WE HOPE TO DO SO WITH YOUR SUPPORT. WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE
ANY QUESTIONS. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH, KRYSTAL.
THANK YOU TO YOURSELF AND EVERYBODY ON THE TEAM WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD ON THIS. I APPRECIATE THE PRE-BRIEFING WE HAD.
YOU KNOW HOW EXCITED I AM ABOUT THIS UPDATE. THE COMMUNITY WILL BE GOING AROUND WITH TWO ROUNDS WITH NO LIMITS. BE RESPECTFUL BUT OTHERWISE I THINK WE'LL BE GOOD TO PACE OURSELVES. ANYBODY WANT TO TALK FIRST?
MARINA. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU, KRYSTAL FOR ALL THE WORK YOU HAVE BEEN DOING.
WHEN I WAS THE FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TECH BLOCK AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT BRINGING FILMS HERE TO SAN ANTONIO IS A HUGE ECONOMIC GENERATOR FOR OUR CITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUOUS WORK IN GETTING IT TO THIS GREAT POINT. I HAD A QUICK QUESTION REFERRING TO SLIDE 6. WHAT DOES OUR LOCAL PRODUCTION INFRASTRUCTURE LOOK LIKE OR IS THERE THINGS WE COULD DO TO BE HELPING OUT?
>> YEAH. SO WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE A LARGE STUDIO FACILITY.
WE HAVE MORE CO-WORKING SPACES AND A COUPLE OF VERY SMALL SOUND STAGES, IF YOU WILL. SO IF YOU HAVE BEEN TO KLRN AND THOSE SPACES, THAT'S KIND OF THE SPACE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO ONE THING THAT WE CAN DO IS REALLY LOOK AT THAT MEDIA PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT ZONE.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE FOCUSED ON FOR FISCAL YEAR '26. IT DOES HAVE TO BE LED BY A PRODUCTION COMPANY BUT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PRODUCTION COMPANIES THAT ARE MEETING WITH US THAT HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN THIS PROGRAM. AND IT'S REALLY KIND OF THAT CONVERSATION WHEN IT COMES TO STUDIO FACILITIES LIKE DO YOU BUILD IT AND THEY COME? DO YOU BUILD AN INCENTIVE AND THEY COME? IT'S ALWAYS THAT ONGOING CONVERSATION. BUT I WILL SAY THAT CONNECTING THESE PRODUCTION FACILITIES, WE'VE CONNECTED THEM TO THE TEXAS FILM COMMISSION.
THEY ARE THE ONES WHO MANAGE THE MEDIA PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT ZONE.
I THINK THAT'S THE NEXT STEP IN LOOKING AT WHERE COULD THIS ZONE RESIDE, WHO ARE THE KEY PARTNERS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, AND WHAT KIND OF SPACE ARE WE LOOKING AT.
SO THAT IS THE BIG KIND OF REMAINING FACTOR IN SAN ANTONIO IS TO HAVE A LARGE
SOUND STAGE. >> GAVITO: YOU COULD ALWAYS COME TO THE DECO DISTRICT IN DIST DIST DISTRICT . DIBS ON THAT. SO WITH THE INCREASED FUNDING -- SO THIS COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE STATE. THERE IS CITY FUNDING FOR
THIS AS WELL AND IF SO, WHAT BUCKET? >> IT IS OUT OF THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND IT'S BUDGETED AT $250,000. WE'RE NOT ASKING TO INCREASE
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THAT BUCKET OF MONEY, JUST INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE THAT FOLKS COULD GET.AND WE MET WITH A NUMBER OF PRODUCTION COMPANIES WHO HAVE PASSED ON THE INCENTIVE AND THEY'RE JUST LIKE 7.5%, A 10% WOULD BE A BIT BETTER. YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S MORE MONEY FOR THEM BUT IT'S ALSO, FROM A MARKETING PERSPECTIVE, 7.5, HOW DOES THAT MATH WORK? IT'S JUST 10 ACROSS THE BOARD.
>> GAVITO: THAT MAKES SENSE. WHAT COLLEGES IN SAN ANTONIO
OFFER FILM STUDIES? >> JONES: UTSA. ALAMO COLLEGE.
UIW. BUT UTSA DOES HAVE A VERY DEDICATED FILM STUDIES FOR YOUR PROGRAM THAT JUST LAUNCHED IN 2022. AND THEY'VE HAD SIGNIFICANT SUCCESS. AND WE PARTNER WITH THEM A LOT.
THE PROFESSOR, WHO LAUNCHED THE PROGRAM, WAS ON OUR FILM COMMITTEE BUT GOT VERY BUSY VERY FAST. WE TALK TO THEM A LOT AND THEY'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMPONENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY STUDENTS COMING
THROUGH THE PROGRAM. >> GAVITO: GOT IT. I ALSO WONDERED TOO, AND I'M JUST KIND OF THINKING OUT LOUD. BECAUSE THERE IS A GREAT NONPROFIT IN DISTRICT 7 AND THEY WERE SEEING SO MANY FILM COURSES BEING CUT FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HE IS HELPING STUDENTS TO LEARN ALL THE AREAS OF FILM AND PRODUCTION. AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF HIS IDEAS WAS LOOKING AT MAYBE ONE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS A PLACE TO DO THIS. I CAN GET YOU IN CONTACT WITH HIM. BECAUSE HE'S DOING SOME GREAT WORK.
YEAH. I MEAN, THIS ALL LOOKS GREAT.
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES. THANKS FOR YOUR WORK ON
THIS, KRYSTAL. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU, KRYSTAL FOR THE PRESENTATION. I'M PLEASED TO SEE IN TERMS OF THE UPLIFTS CONTINUING TO PRIORITIZE LOCAL HIRE AND VETERANS, AS YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR PRESENTATION. AS MILITARY CITY, USA, I THINK THAT'S AN EXPECTATION THAT SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS HAVE AND OF COURSE FOLKS VISITING THE CITY TO PARTICIPATE, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE FILM INCENTIVE PROGRAM OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. AS FOLKS HAVE ALREADY HIGHLIGHTED, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE COMPONENT FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. AS YOU MENTIONED, UTSA, SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE IN PARTICULAR HAVE REALLY GREAT PROGRAMS AND I THINK THIS PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO GAIN EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS TO NETWORK WITH FOLKS THAT ARE DOING THE WORK. PLEASED TO SEE WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE. IT MAKES ME THINK OF IN D 15, WE HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. IT'S A GREAT ASK BUT IF THERE COULD BE A REQUEST THAT THEY COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE FESTIVAL OR ACCESS TO THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY TO RECEIVE A LINK TO THEIR FILM UPON COMPLETION, I THINK WOULD BE VERY VALUABLE. OTHER THAN THAT, JUST GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK OF YOU AND YOUR TEAM. THANK YOU, KRYSTAL. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. COUNCICOUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. >> WHYTE: THANKS, KRYSTAL.
THANKS, CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK WE HAVE A GIANT OPPORTUNITY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO TO BECOME AT LEAST THE FILM CAPITAL OF TEXAS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD REALLY, REALLY LEAN INTO BECAUSE I THINK THE ECONOMIC IMPACT COULD BE SIGNIFICANT.
NOT JUST REVENUE FOR OUR CITY BUT IN THE JOBS THAT WE CAN CREATE.
AND I THINK THE RESULTS YOU SHOWED ON SLIDE 5 SHOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROPERLY FUND.
SO A COUPLE OF THINGS. NUMBER ONE, THE APPLICATION PROCESS, SURE WE'VE GOT A
USER-FRIENDLY STREAMLINED PROCESS IN PLACE? >> JONES: YES.
PRODUCTION IS QUITE EASY. IT'S JUST A TWO-PAGE DOCUMENT.
>> WHYTE: GOOD. ALL TOO OFTEN I THINK I SEE GOOD OPPORTUNITIES HERE AND WE GET BOGGED DOWN IN A CUMBERSOME PROCESS THAT SCARES PEOPLE AWAY.
AND, AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS SUCH A BIG OPPORTUNITY. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THIS IS AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR FOLKS, AGAIN, WHO CAN MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS TO APPLY.
NUMBER TWO, THE $250,000. WHERE DID THAT NUMBER COME FROM?
USING IT AS SORT OF A PILOT OR WHAT? >> JONES: IT CAME FROM THE 2017 FILM STRATEGIC PLAN AND THAT WAS THE AMOUNT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THIS WHOLE TIME. AND QUITE FRANKLY I THINK THE 10%, LOOKING AND SEEING HOW THIS 10% WORKS TO SPEND THIS MONEY. HISTORICALLY, WITH A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES WE'VE HAD, WE HAVE NOT SPENT THE 250 FULLY FOR THE YEAR.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE OF US TO LOOK AT A 10%.
SEE IF WE CAN SPEND THAT 250, AND THEN EVALUATE AFTER THAT.
>> WHYTE: WHEN YOU SAY THE CHALLENGES WE'VE HAD, WHAT ARE THOSE?
>> JONES: THE PANDEMIC COMPLETELY WIPED OUT OUR FUNDING FOR ABOUT THREE
[00:30:02]
YEARS. AND THE INDUSTRY STRIKES REALLY IMPACTED FILMING.IT HASN'T BEEN AN APPLES TO APPLES YEAR AT ALL IN THE PAST TEN YEARS SO I THINK STARTING AT THE $250,000 IS A GREAT START. SEEING WHERE WE GO WITH THIS 10% AND UP TO 14% INCENTIVE PROGRAM. AND THEN IF WE START TO MAX OUT THAT 250, LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
>> WHYTE: WHAT KIND OF COORDINATION WITH VSA AND OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ARE WE DOING HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REALLY HAVE MARKETED THIS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY? >> JONES: RIGHT NOW WE'RE ENTERING A REALLY ROBUST PARTNERSHIP WITH WOMEN IN FILM IN TEXAS, WHICH IS BASED HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
IT'S THE NEWEST AND FASTEST GROWING CHAPTER THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
VISIT SAN ANTONIO, OUR DEPARTMENT, AND WOMEN IN FILM IN TEXAS ARE HOLDING A SUMMIT IN JANUARY. THAT'S ONE WAY WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THEM ON A BIG PARTNERSHIP AND EVENT WAY THEY SEND OVER LEADS TO US. WHENEVER THERE'S A FILM PRODUCER THAT CONTACTS THEM.
QUITE OFTEN FILM COMMISSIONS ARE HOUSED WITHIN A TOURISM BUREAU, BUT IT WORKS REALLY WELL FOR IT TO BE LOCATED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE.
THEY SEND LEADS TO US. AND WE CONNECT WITH THEM WHEN IT COMES TO HOTELIERS.
WE HAVE HOTELIERS THAT ARE FILM FRIENDLY. WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THEY HAVE BEEN KEY PARTNERS IN SMALL BUSINESS CONVERSATIONS.
WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE 1923 WITHOUT THE HELP OF THEIR SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT TEAM.
THEY WERE OUT ON THE GROUND WITH US LETTING SMALL BUSINESSES WHO WERE IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION AT THE TIME, KNOW THAT THIS WAS A DIFFERENT KIND OF OPPORTUNITY, AN ECONOMIC GENERATOR FOR THEM. WE WERE WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY COMMUNICATING THAT MESSAGE.
ALL THE BUSINESSES ON THAT THOROUGHFARE WERE VERY PLEASED WITH THE BUSINESS THEY DID DURING THAT WEEK OF FILMING. AND EVEN SOME FOLKS WHO WERE REALLY CONCERNED COMPLETELY CHANGED THEIR NARRATIVE ONCE THEY SAW HOW MUCH BUSINESS THEY MADE THAT WEEK. WE PARTNER WITH THEM QUITE A BIT.
>> WHYTE: SO, LOOK. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS -- WELL, WE KNOW IS SORT OF A NEW EFFORT HERE IN TEXAS.
AND SO WE GOT TO GET IN ON THE GROUND FLOOR AND BE THE LEADING CITY WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING TO ATTRACT THESE FOLKS TO COME HERE. I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. WE'RE PERFECTLY SITUATED GEOGRAPHICALLY AND I THINK THIS IS AN AREA WHERE SAN ANTONIO CAN EXCEL. LET'S KEEP PUSHING.
THANKS. >> JONES: THANK YOU. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST SOME LAST COMMENTS FROM MYSELF.
ALTHOUGH MY COLLEAGUES WERE VERY HELPFUL AND I SUPPORT THIS UPDATE AND THIS INCENTIVE RECOMMENDATION CHANGES. I THINK, TO COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE'S POINT ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE HERE. AS THE STATE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE FILM TO COME HERE, SAN ANTONIO HAS A UNIQUE ROLE IN TERMS OF OUR DIVERSITY HERE AS WELL AS OUR PARTICULAR HISTORY. WHETHER IT'S POLITICAL HISTORY OR CHICANO OR MUSIC HISTORY AND AS A HISTORY PERSON I LOVE HISTORICAL THINGS. THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN HONE IN ON THAT OTHER CITIES DO NOT HAVE COMPARED TO OUR OWN. OF COURSE, LEVERAGING THE NONPROFITS HERE, SOME OF THE LOCAL ARTISTS IN WAYS WHEREVER WE CAN.
OF COURSE THE FILM PRODUCTIONS HAVE THEIR OWN TIMELINES BUT IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL ARTISTS TO HELP WITH SET DESIGNS OR COSTUMES, I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE REALLY INCREDIBLE OUTSIDE OF THE FILMMAKING STUDENTS BUT FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO AREN'T TRADITIONAL STUDENTS BUT WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THESE ART COLLECTIVES. I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR
ALREADY ON THAT. >> JONES: IF I MAY, BECAUSE I DO WANT TO DO ONE PLUG. THE SAY A LITTLE PRAYER MOVIE THAT CAME OUT, THERE WERE LOCAL ARTISTS FEATURED IN THAT MOVIE, BECAUSE THEY WENT THROUGH AN ART GALLERY TO FILM. WE ALSO HAD A LOCAL MUSICIAN DO ALL OF THE SOUNDTRACK, THE OPENING SONG. WE ARE VERY MUCH HIP TO THAT POINT BECAUSE WE WANT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS AND OUR CITY PORTRAYED VERY WELL ON FILM. AND TO LET PEOPLE KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIND A COMPOSER ANYWHERE ELSE, YOU CAN FIND THEM RIGHT HERE IN
SAN ANTONIO. I'M WITH YOU ON THAT. >> GALVAN: RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. ONE LAST THING I WAS GOING TO MENTION TOO.
TWO QUICK THINGS. ONE ON THE LOCAL HIRE PIECE. I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLE AND PARTICULARLY THE FOCUS ON THE BUILDUP IS WHAT I REALLY ENJOY.
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IT RECOGNIZES IT MAY NOT HAPPEN ALL AT ONCE BUT WE CAN BUILD ON IT AND MAKE SURE THE WORKFORCE IS THERE AS THE PRODUCTION AND WORK GOES ON HERE.I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT IN OTHER PLACES AS WELL, IF POSSIBLE, WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO LOOK AT.
ONE LAST POINT ABOUT EDUCATION. I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER ALDERETE GAVITO MENTIONED THIS WITH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CONNECTION.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SCHOOLS IN DISTRICT 6 BUT ACROSS THE CITY TOO THAT HAVE A PERFORMING ARTS FOCUS. WHETHER IT'S TAFT OR EDGEWOOD AND THEIR PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMS. IF THERE'S WAYS WE COULD INCORPORATE THAT IN, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT, IF POSSIBLE. THOSE ARE ALL MY POINTS ON THAT. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
YEAH. >> I WANTED THE CHAIR TO RECOGNIZE AND THE COMMITTEE, KRYSTAL JONES RECENTLY GOT MARRIED. CONGRATULATIONS!
>> JONES: THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> JONES: THANK YOU.
>> CLERK: CHAIR, MY APOLOGIES. I DIDN'T REALIZE THEY NEEDED
ACTION ON THIS ITEM. >> GALVAN: GREAT. CAN I GET A MOTION TO
APPROVE THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES? >>
>> GALVAN: ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE.
>> GALVAN: OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH, KRYSTAL.
WE'LL NOW MOVE TO OUR NEXT ITEM, ITEM NO. 3, THE MEDICAID UPDATE WITH METRO
HEALTH. >> JACOB: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DR. CLAUDE JACOB AND TODAY WE WILL BE PROVIDING YOU AN UPDATE ON THE MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER AND AN UPDATE ON OUR METRO HEALTH MOVING FORWARD INITIATIVE.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A TWO-PART PRESENTATION SO I'LL THEN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MARJORIE WHITE WILL TALK ABOUT OUR DIABETES INITIATIVE. THIS IS INTENDED TO PICK UP FROM WHERE WE LEFT OFF BACK IN THE SUMMER AND THIS WILL PUT INTO CONTEXT THE STATE OF AFFAIRS AT METRO HEALTH.
SO I'M GOING TO SPEND JUST A COUPLE OF SLIDES TO REORIENT YOU TO WHERE WE WERE AT THE END OF AUGUST. THIS FRAMEWORK IS A NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACCREDITATION BOARD. AND IT DEFINES A MINIMUM PACKAGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS RECOMMENDED FOR EACH AND EVERY JURISDICTION THE FOUNDATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, THIS FRAMEWORK OUTLINES THE UNIQUE RESPONSIBILITIES OF GOVERNMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND CAN BE USED TO EXPLAIN THE VITAL ROLE OF HEALTH DEPARTMENTS IN A THRIVING COMMUNITY. FURTHER, THIS FRAMEWORK POSITIONS THE DEPARTMENT TO OPERATE AS AN AGENCY PREPARED TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST CENTURY. SO THERE ARE TWO DIMENSIONS OF THIS. KNOW THAT WE WILL BE FOCUSING IN THE SECOND SEGMENT ON THE CHRONIC DISEASE PORTFOLIO. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO REOVEREORIENT YOU TO OUR WORK ON THE GROUND. JUST A QUICK REMINDER.
THIS IS WHERE WE LANDED IN TERMS OF OUR FY26 OPERATING BUDGET.
JUST SHY OF $80 MILLION. THERE ARE TWO DIMENSIONS TO OUR PORTFOLIO THAT'S THE GENERAL FUND AND THE SUPPORT BY OUR GRANTS. AGAIN, THIS SEGMENT IS REALLY LOOKING AT OUR CHALLENGES TIED TO OUR GRANT FUNDING AND WE'LL PUT INTO CONTEXT SOME OF THIS WORK. KNOW THAT WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A STAFFING COMPLEMENT OF 593 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS FOR THIS YEAR. JUST KNOW THAT IN CONTEXT OF OUR WORK, ABOUT 40% OF OUR BUDGET IS ANCHORED TO OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY DIVISION. YOU'LL HEAR ONE EXAMPLE FROM MARJORIE WHITE.
THAT INCLUDES CHRONIC DISEASE AND MATERNAL HEALTH PROGRAMMING.
IT IS ONE OF OUR LARGEST SINGLE SECTIONS AT THE DEPARTMENT REFLECTIVE OF THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTIONS THAT FURTHER UPSTREAM. THE COMPLEMENT TO THAT IS OUR ONGOING WORK AROUND COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL AND OUR SUPPORT ANCHORED TO THE DEPARTMENT. OUR GRANT PORTFOLIO AND A COMPARISON TO THE GENERAL FUND. THERE'S A LOT OF CHARTER IN TERMS OF FISCAL FRAGILITY AND INSTABILITY AND THAT'S WHY THE TIMING COULD NOT BE BETTER. KNOW THIS IS AN ILLUSTRATION OF OUR PLIGHT ON THE GROUND.
THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND THE CHALLENGES WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST EIGHT OR NINE MONTHS, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST PUT INTO CONTEXT WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE IMPLICATIONS INTO THE FUTURE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS OUR GRANTS AND EXTERNAL FUNDING. WE HAVE DONE VERY WELL OVER THE YEARS AND THE MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER IS ONE SUCH EXAMPLE OF EFFORTS THAT SPAN OVER A DECADE. THIS ALLOWS YOU TO PUT INTO CONTEXT THE INVESTMENT AND WORK OF OUR DEPARTMENT. GRANTS ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT HALF OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET AND THIS DIFFERS FROM THE
[00:40:05]
OVERALL DECREASE IN GRANT FUNDING COMPARED TO THE LAST FEW YEARS.WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A TREND TO RETURN TO FUNDING TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS.
AGAIN, TODAY THE FOCUS IS ON THE SCENARIO BEING FURTHER EXACERBATED BY THE MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER RESERVES, WHICH WILL LAPSE AT THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THE FOCUS OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION. JUST KNOW THAT FUNDING ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT A QUARTER OF OUR GRANT FUNDING THIS YEAR, ABOUT $8 MILLION.
IN OTHER WORDS, OUR FISCAL STORM CARRIES MOMENTUM WELL INTO FY27 AND HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR POTENTIAL DISRUPTION OF LONG STANDING PROGRAM INITIATIVES AS WELL AS THE PROGRESS MADE SINCE THE ACUTE STAGES OF THE PANDEMIC.
THIS IS JUST A REMINDER. WE JUST WENT THROUGH THIS FY26 BUDGET PLANNING PROCESS AND THIS IS A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF IMPACTS AS A RESULT OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS THAT WAS CONDUCTED OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WERE SHARED WITH YOU AT THE END OF THE SUMMER DURING OUR BUDGET WORK SESSION. JUST TO PUT THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE, AS I SEGUE TO THE IMPACTS OF THE WAIVER. WE EXPERIENCED A $4.5 MILLION REDUCTION OF OUR GENERAL FUND FOR THIS YEAR AND A REDUCTION OF NEARLY TWO DOZEN STAFF SUPPORTED BY THE GENERAL FUND.
THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS UNITS AND THE TYPES OF POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED AS WE REALLOCATED FUNDING AND STAFFING ASSIGNMENTS TO MAINTAIN CRITICAL FUNCTIONS AT THE DEPARTMENT. AGAIN, OUR AGILITY HAS REMAINED OUR BEST ASSET.
WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THE LION'S SHARE OF POSITIONS BY TAPPING INTO EXISTING VACANCIES AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR HELPING TO OBTAIN THIS GLIDE PATH WHICH ALLOWS STAFF TO APPLY THEIR SKILLS WITHIN OTHER AREAS OF THE DEPARTMENT OR COSA. WITH THAT, I WANTED TO TEE IT UP.
I'LL LAY OUT THE PUZZLE AND YOU'LL GET THE CONTEXT. THE TEXAS MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED BACK IN 2011 IN ORDER TO HELP CONTROL COSTS AND IMPROVE THE STATE'S HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE. LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES WERE ENGAGED IN THIS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.
AT THAT TIME THE INITIAL FUNDING RAISED OUR DEPARTMENT'S ANNUAL BUDGET BY MORE THAN 40% TO SUPPORT SIX NEW OR EXPANDED PROGRAMS WHICH WERE ALIGNED WITH IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES, ESTABLISHED THROUGH COMMENT HEALTH ASSESSMENT, COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLANNING PROCESS, AND SUPPORTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STRATEGIC PLAN. THIS FUNDING NOW ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 10% OF THIS YEAR'S OPERATING BUDGET AND HELPED TO ACCELERATE THE DEPARTMENT'S POPULATION-BASED EFFORTS. THESE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE, SPECIFICALLY, ABOUT OUR DIABETES PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT.
BUT JUST KNOW THAT WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THE YMCA IN CONDUCTING OVER 60 PREVENTION AND SELF-MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP SERIES.
YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT. OUR ORAL HEALTH PROGRAM, WHICH YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT LATER IN THE WINTER. THAT PROGRAM COORDINATES NEARLY 500 DENTAL CLINICS SERVING OVER 20,000 CHILDREN WHO RECEIVE EXAMS AND TREATMENTS.
WE HAVE A ROBUST INFRASTRUCTURE TIED TO HIV AND SYPHILIS PREVENTION.
OUR WIC PROGRAM, AGAIN, WHICH ANCHORS OUR LACTATION CENTER, HAS PROVIDED INDIVIDUALIZED LACTATION SUPPORT TO OVER 400 MOTHERS AND OFFERED BREASTFEEDING EDUCATION AND SUPPORT TO NEARLY 400 PREGNANT, BREASTFEEDING, OR POSTPARTUM WOMEN. HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD STANDUP. WITH THAT, THE WAIVER RESERVE, AS WE CALL IT, THE 1115 MEDICAID WAIVER PROGRAM.
THIS HAS ALLOWED US TO HAVE SOME STABILITY OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST DECADE.
SINCE THE END OF THIS PROGRAM, WHICH AGAIN THIS EXPIRES AT THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. SEPTEMBER OF 2026. WHILE THE OFFICIAL PROGRAM ENDED A FEW YEARS AGO, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO AT LEAST MANAGE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AND HAVE MAINTAINED SOME STABILITY TO SUPPORT KEY INITIATIVES AT THE DEPARTMENT. THIS HAS ALLOWED US TO MAINTAIN OUR STAFFING CAPACITY AS WE ENDURED DISRUPTIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC AS WELL AS CURRENT DISRUPTIONS FROM FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS AND OTHER ONGOING FISCAL CONSTRAINTS.
THIS IS REAL. THIS IS A REALITY ON THE GROUND.
AND THIS SNAPSHOT OF THESE CHANGES WERE PROVIDED DURING OUR BUDGET WORK SESSIONS.
THERE WAS A FOLLOW-UP MEMO THAT WE ISSUED ON SEPTEMBER 5 TO COUNCIL, WHICH LISTED PRIORITY PROGRAMS BASED ON THE IMPACTS TO THE COMMUNITY OF THIS SPECIFIC FUNDING STREAM. AGAIN, IT AMOUNTS TO $8 MILLION AND OVER 80 STAFF ACROSS EIGHT DISTINCT PROGRAM AREAS AND SUPPORTED BY A MYRIAD OF CROSS-CUTTING AND OPERATIONAL UNITS AT THE DEPARTMENT.
SO TO DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT. JUST KNOW THAT WE
[00:45:04]
IDENTIFIED, WE'VE GONE THROUGH SOME INTERNAL, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE MAIN PROGRAMS WE SEE IMPACTED. THIS IS A QUICK SNAPSHOT. I DID WANT TO KNOW THAT THE ORAL HEALTH PROGRAM, IN PARTICULAR. WE KNOW THE LION'S SHARE, $1.5 MILLION, NEARLY 40 STAFF. WHAT WE SEE HERE ARE A MIX OF AUTHORIZED POSITIONS AND TEMP POSITIONS. WE SENT A CLARIFYING NOTE YESTERDAY TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WHILE WE HAVE 13 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS, WE HAVE THE SUPPORT OF AN ADDITIONAL 20 TEMPS. THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE THE 33 IMPACTED STAFF WHO ARE SUPPORTED BY THIS PROGRAM. AND YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE THE DESCRIPTION OF THE IMPACTS AROUND IMPACT TO CLINICAL ORAL SERVICES.YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT OUR DIABETES PROGRAM. THE STANDUP TEAM, THIS REPRESENTS HALF THE STAFFING COMPLEMENT. HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS.
AGAIN, WE HAVE BENEFITED FROM ANCHORING THAT WORK TO 15 NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY. AGAIN, ONGOING SUPPORT FOR STI CONTROL AND PREVENTION EFFORTS. THE COMPLEMENT TO THIS, AGAIN, OPERATIONAL SUPPORTS.
WHILE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO AT LEAST ANCHOR TO EIGHT DISTINCT PROGRAMS, WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO LEVERAGE THIS AND DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING OUR FOUNDATIONAL CAPABILITIES OR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE DEPARTMENT.
WHETHER IT'S OUR ADMIN SUPPORT AND OPERATIONS, OUR ONGOING CLINIC SUPPORT AND OPERATIONS. HAVING THE STAFFING FOR ACCOUNTING CLERKS, THESE SUPPORT THE CLINICS, THE STI CLINIC, AND THE LAB. AND OUR ONGOING INVESTMENT IN OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION SECTION, ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE DEPARTMENT.
WE TRULY BELIEVE THAT IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY AND JUST KNOW THIS IS A SHORT LIST OF SOME OF OUR KEY PARTNERS. SOME OF WHOM ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE. YOU WILL SEE OUR PARTNERS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THE SUCCESS OF OUR DEPARTMENT'S MISSION TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY. THEIR EXPERTISE, RESOURCES, AND DEEP CONNECTIONS TO THE POPULATIONS WE SERVE HELP EXTEND OUR REACH AND ENHANCE THE IMPACT OF OUR PROGRAMS. WHETHER IT'S THROUGH COLLABORATION ON PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES, SUPPORT IN TIMES OF CRISIS, OR LONG-TERM STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL IN HELPING US TO ADDRESS COMPLEX HEALTH CHALLENGES.
REDUCE DISPARITIES AND IMPROVE OUTCOMES ACROSS THE REGION.
WE DEEPLY, DEEPLY VALUE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS AND RECOGNIZE THAT OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS ARE MADE STRONGER TOGETHER. JUST KNOW THAT THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF THE PANDEMIC, ONE OF OUR ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES DEFINES THAT WE ARE TO STRENGTHEN AND MOBILIZE PARTNERSHIPS ON THE GROUND.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE KEY CHARACTERISTICS AND CLAIMS TO FAME FOR WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE NOT ONLY IN SAN ANTONIO BUT ACROSS A GREATER BEXAR COUNTY. THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS AND OUR STAFF FOR MAINTAINING THESE LINKAGES IN AREA NEIGHBORHOODS. SO, DIFFERENT DIMENSION OF THE SUPPORT TO THE MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER PROGRAM. JUST KNOW THAT THE STATE ALSO ISSUED A FEW YEARS AGO A PUBLIC HEALTH PROVIDER CHARITY CARE PROGRAM AS A COMPLEMENT. THIS PROGRAM IS CRITICAL FUNDING MECHANISM THAT ALLOWS ELIGIBLE LOCAL PROVIDERS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR DELIVERING ESSENTIAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES, PARTICULARLY WHEN NO OTHER REIMBURSEMENT SOURCE IS AVAILABLE. THIS INCLUDES VACCINE SERVICES AND PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES WHICH ARE VITAL TO OUR COMMUNITY'S WELL-BEING.
BUT OFTEN GOING UNDERFUNDED. THE PROGRAM ENSURES THAT OUR LOCAL PROVIDERS AREN'T FORCED TO ABSORB THESE COSTS ALONE, HELPING MAINTAIN ACCESS TO CARE, ESPECIALLY FOR RESIDENTS WHO ARE UNINSURED OR UNDERINSURED. THIS IS AUTHORIZED UNDER THE TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE AND THEN YOU SEE THE LIST OF THE DIFFERENT ENTITIES.
FOR METRO HEALTH AND OUR PARTNERS, THIS MEANS A MORE SUSTAINABLE WAY TO DELIVER THESE SERVICES THAT PREVENT ILLNESS, REDUCE EMERGENCY CARE COSTS, AND SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ACROSS THE REGION. IN SHORT, THIS IS ALL ABOUT MAXIMIZING LOCAL CAPACITY WITH THE STATE SUPPORT, HELPING TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER CRITICAL SERVICES EVEN IN A CHALLENGING BUDGET ENVIRONMENT. THERE ARE ABOUT HALF A DOZEN CITIES THAT DO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CHARITY CARE PROGRAM. JUST KNOW WE HAVE BEEN UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO APPLY THE TALENT OF THE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE USE OF THESE RESOURCES. SO THE COMPLEMENT TO THIS IS THAT OUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN FORTUNATE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. FOR EXAMPLE, THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR WE SECURED COST REIMBURSEMENTS FOR STAFF SUPPORTED BY THE WAIVER OUR DIABETES AND PREVENTION EFFORTS. WHILE THIS SUPPORT PROVIDES SOME RELIEF TO THOSE THREE PROGRAMS IN PARTICULAR, AGAIN, THE REASON THAT WE'RE SHARING THIS WITH YOU TODAY IS IN TERMS OF THE FRAGILITY, ESPECIALLY OVER THE NEXT 11 MONTHS AS THIS WAIVER RESERVE EXPIRES. SO, JUST KNOW THAT THIS IS
[00:50:03]
PART AND PARCEL TO HOW THE STATE HAS HELPED US TO AT LEAST IDENTIFY RESOURCES TO OFFSET SOME OF THE EXPENSES, EXPENDITURES ON THE GROUND. IN TERMS OF METRO HEALTH IN MOVING FORWARD. JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE A NATIONALLY ACCREDITED HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE ALIGN A NUMBER OF OUR INITIATIVES TO NATIONAL FRAMEWORKS. JUST KNOW THAT WE CODIFIED OUR DEPARTMENTAL STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WE CALL METRO HEALTH 2.0. OUR STRATEGIC PLAN OPERATIONALIZES THE CRITICAL AND TIMELY INVESTMENTS TO SUPPORT OUR PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE. AND MODERNIZE OUR WORK. AGAIN, APPLYING LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PANDEMIC. WHAT I DID WANT TO MENTION IS THE NATIONAL BLUEPRINT WAS RELEASED IN DECEMBER OF 2021. ABOUT A YEAR LATER THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION ISSUED A GRANT.THE INTENT WAS TO DOVETAIL THE BLUEPRINT WITH FUNDING. FOCUSING ON CAPACITY.
THE CAPACITY TO RECRUIT AND MAINTAIN TALENT AT THE DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE MIRRORED OUR BLUEPRINT ALONG WITH THIS NATIONAL FRAMEWORK AND IT'S IN THESE SIX FOCUS AREAS AROUND BEING A BETTER PARTNER AND ENGAGING COMMUNITY PARTNERS MORE INTENTIONALLY. MAKING BETTER DECISIONS AROUND DATA. REVISITING FINANCING MODELS AND ALGORITHMS WHICH IS PART AND PARCEL TO TODAY'S CONVERSATION. LOOKING AT THE IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC AND MAKING SURE THAT WE INVEST IN THE TALENT AT OUR DEPARTMENT.
JUST KNOW THAT THIS IS A NATIONAL FRAMEWORK AND WE'VE USED IT FOR OUR METRO HEALTH 2.0 DEPARTMENTAL STRATEGIC PLAN. WITH THAT, CLOSER TO HOME, THIS PLAN, WE RECEIVED $25 MILLION OVER FIVE YEARS AS PART OF THE CDC INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT. IT ALLOWS US TO OPERATE AS A 21ST CENTURY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE ARE ABLE TO DOVETAIL SOME OF THE SUPPORT AND AT THE END OF THE DAY IT'S FOCUSED ON PEOPLE POWER AND MAKING SURE THAT WE MITIGATE BURNOUT AND MAXIMIZE OUR IMPACT IN COMMUNITY BY REALLY FOCUSING ON THESE UPSTREAM AND SOCIAL DETERMINATES OF HEALTH. SO WITH THAT, WHAT WE'VE LAUNCHED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR A LONG TIME. AND YET HERE WE ARE. THE CONVERSATION AS OF LATE IN TERMS OF THE IMPACTS TO THE GENERAL FUND, THIS IS BEING CATALYZED BY THE FRAGILITY AND THE CHALLENGES WE'RE SEEING TIED TO THIS FUNDING STREAM, IN PARTICULAR. AS WE TACKLE THESE MOUNTING CHALLENGES OF THE DEPARTMENT, WE LAUNCHED OUR METRO HEALTH MOVING FORWARD TEAM.
THE TEAM PROVIDES STRATEGIC GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT AS WE ASSESS THE IMPACTS OF THE MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER GRANT, WHICH IS COMING TO AN END. I DO WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE FOUR PHASES AS WE SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS.
JUST KNOW THAT IN TERMS OF OUR SEASON, WE'RE NOW IN PHASE 2 AND I WANTED TO AT LEAST HIGHLIGHT WHAT WE HAVE AS WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS OF STAFF AND HOW WE CAN BE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
SO WE ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO WORKING NOT ONLY WITH OUR STAFF BUT ALSO WITH COSA'S HR TEAM TO SUPPORT STAFF THROUGH CLEAR COMMUNICATION, PROFESSIONAL DEPARTMENT, AND SKILL BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES. IT REALLY IS TELLING IN TERMS OF THE FATIGUE AS WE'RE STILL IN RECOVERY MODE FROM THE IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC. YET WE'RE DEALING WITH THIS INSTABILITY.
THE IMPACTED EMPLOYEES RECEIVED UPDATES AND COMMUNICATION.
WE ARE LOOKING AT AN ANALYSIS OF TRAINING AND SKILLS GAP DATA THAT WILL HELP IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS TO GUIDE OUR STAFF.
WE WENT THROUGH A MICRO COSM THROUGH THE BUDGET REVIEW AND THIS ALLOWS US TO LOOK AT OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO MITIGATE BURNOUT AND MINIMIZE THE DISRUPTION OF SERVICES. AGAIN, I'LL END AND THEN I'LL TRANSITION TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION. AS WE DO MOVE FORWARD, THE NEXT PRESENTATION WILL FEATURE THE DIABETES PROGRAM UPDATE LED BY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MARJORIE WHITE.
THIS PRESENTATION WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF CURRENT INITIATIVES, KEY OUTCOMES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO SHOWCASE PROGRAMS POTENTIALLY IMPACTED BY FUNDING CHANGES IN THE COMING YEAR. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION, I WOULD DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO SLIDES 12 TO 14 WHICH ARE AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE FISCAL IMPACTS OF A LAPSE OF THE MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER RESERVES.
THESE UPDATES WILL HIGHLIGHT THE ONGOING CHALLENGES AS WE ADVANCE THE DEPARTMENT'S MISSION AND PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITIES. WHAT WE'VE ALSO QUEUED UP THROUGH THE WINTER MONTHS ARE SIMILAR EXAMPLES AROUND OUR HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM, THE ORAL HEALTH PROGRAM AND STANDUP TEAM TO MAKE IT CLEAR IN TERMS OF THE IMPLICATIONS AND SOME THOUGHTS YOU MAY HAVE AS AMBASSADORS OF OUR WORK.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO PAUSE THERE. JUST KNOW THAT TODAY, WHILE
[00:55:02]
WE ARE HERE WITH THE COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMITTEE, I'M LOOKING TO THE CHAIR.TOMORROW WE HAVE OUR VIRTUAL SITE VISIT FOR NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH REACCREDITATION. WE'RE HERE TODAY AND WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW TO HELP US TELL THAT STORY FOR THAT VOLUNTARY DESIGNATION. THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR AND COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AS WELL. WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO INVITE MARJORIE WHITE FOR THE NEXT PART OF THE PRESENTATION, UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO TAKE QUESTIONS NOW BEFORE WE SEGUE TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
>> GALVAN: DO Y'ALL WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS NOW ON THIS PRESENTATION OR GO
BACK-TO-BACK PRESENTATIONS? >>
CLAUDE. MARJORIE, COME ON UP. >> GOOD MORNING.
AS STATED BEFORE, MY NAME IS MARJORIE WHITE. I SERVE AS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE COMMUNITY HEHEALTH AND SAFETY DIVISION WITH METRO HEALTH .
TODAY'S PRESENTATION WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE STATE OF DIABETES IN THIS COMMUNITY. TALK ABOUT OUR METRO HEALTH DIABETES PREVENTION AND CONTROL PROGRAM, OUR IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY, HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERS, TALK ABOUT FISCAL CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE MOVING FORWARD, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR INNOVATION IN THE WORK THAT WE DO. THE STATE OF DIABETES.
IMAGINE WAKING UP EVERY DAY HAVING TO CHECK YOUR BLOOD SUGAR BEFORE BREAKFAST, CALCULATING WHAT MEALS YOU'RE GOING TO EAT FOR THE DAY, AND CONSTANTLY WORRYING ABOUT POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS BECAUSE OF THIS DISEASE. SOME OF THESE COMPLICATIONS INCLUDES BLINDNESS, A STROKE, HEART DISEASE, AMPUTATIONS, TO NAME A FEW.
FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, THIS IS THEIR EVERYDAY LIFESTYLE. AS THEY TRY TO MANAGE THIS DISEASE, WHICH HAS BECOME A GLOBAL CONCERN, IMPACTING FAMILIES, INCLUDING MY OWN, AS WELL AS COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIES. DIABETES IS THE SEVENTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THIS COUNTRY AND FOR BEXAR COUNTY IT'S THE FIFTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH. STATISTICS SHOW THAT ONE OUT OF EVERY SIX ADULTS REPORT BEING DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES AND THE STATISTIC IS EXPECTED TO RISE.
DIABETES RATES IN BEXAR COUNTY ARE HIGHER TOWARDS THE INNER CORE OF OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE EAST/WEST/SOUTH CORRIDORS. THOUGH RATES ARE HIGHER AMONG WOMEN, WE FIND THAT MEN HAVE HIGHER HOSPITALIZATION RATES.
WHEN YOU COMPARE OUR DIABETES PREVALENCE ACROSS MANY MAJOR CITIES ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU CAN SEE WE RANK NUMBER TWO, RIGHT BEHIND HARRIS COUNTY, WHICH IS HOUSTON, TEXAS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE GRAPH, WE'RE AT 16.74 AND HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS IS AT 17.08. WE'RE HIGH COMPARED TO TRAVIS COUNTY, WHICH IS AUSTIN, DALLAS, AND TARRANT COUNTY, WHICH IS THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA.
WHEN YOU COMPARE OUR RATE TO THE STATE OF TEXAS, YOU CAN SEE WE ARE DEFINITELY SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER. IN RESPONSE TO THIS GROWING CONCERN, METRO HEALTH IN 2013 LAUNCHED OUR DIABETES PREVENTION AND CONTROL PROGRAM.
OUR PROGRAM PROVIDES FREE DIABETES PREVENTION AND SELF-MANAGEMENT EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE CITY. WE OFFER THESE SERIES AT COMMUNITY CENTERS, SENIOR CENTERS, BUSINESSES, PLACES OF WORSHIP, LIBRARIES, SCHOOLS, JUST TO NAME A FEW. OUR TEAM IS COMPOSED OF 12 STAFF MEMBERS AND OUR TRAINED FACILITATORS PROVIDE 60 TO 70 WORKSHOPS ANNUALLY. WE OFFER FOUR UNIQUE HEALTH EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS TO THE COMMUNITY. FIRST STARTING WITH OUR DIABETES EMPOWERMENT AND EDUCATION PROGRAM, ALSO KNOWN AS DEEP.
THIS HELPS PARTICIPANTS TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR DIABETES AND REDUCE THE RISK OF COMPLICATIONS . OUR NEXT SERIES IS THE DIABETES GARAGE, WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY FOR MEN. WE USE AUTOMATIVE MAINTENANCE TO IMPROVE THEIR INTEREST IN CONTROLLING THEIR DIABETES. WE HAVE THE CDC'S PREVENTION WORKSHOP, WHICH IS A YEAR-LONG CURRICULUM DESIGNED FOR INDIVIDUALS SEEKING TO PREVENT DIABETES. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR NEWEST INITIATIVE THROUGH THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION CALLED PROJECT POWER, WHICH IS DESIGNED FOR YOUTH TO HELP ADDRESS THE INCREASED HOSPITALIZATIONS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES AMONGST PEDIATRICS. OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT. IN FISCAL YEAR '25 OUR PROGRAM CONDUCTED 65 WORKSHOPS AND OUT OF THEM 56 WERE CONDUCTED IN DISTRICTS 1 THROUGH 7. AS STATED BEFORE, THE HIGHER PREVALENCE OF DIABETES IS
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WITHIN THESE AREAS. 562 COMMUNITY MEMBERS ENROLLED INTO OUR PROGRAMS AND 450, WHICH IS ABOUT 80%, COMPLETED THE WORKSHOPS. TO HELP INCREASE ENROLLMENT AND SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT OUR PROGRAM, AS WELL AS DIABETES, OUR TEAM PARTICIPATED IN 435 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, WHICH INCLUDED HEALTH FAIRS.THEY CONDUCTED DIABETES PRESENTATIONS AS WELL AS LOCAL MEDIA.
OUR PROGRAM ALSO ACHIEVED CDC RECOGNITION AND OF THE COMPLETERS OF THE WORKSHOP, 62% REPORTED A RISK IN THEIR REDUCTION RATE. EVERY YEAR OUR PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL DIABETES AWARENESS MONTH, WHICH IS IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
WE HOST A YOUTH ART AND POETRY CONTEST AND WE HAVE A HEALTH FAIR WHERE WE GIVE OUT CLOSE TO 250 TO 300 TURKEY VOUCHER GIVEAWAYS. I'LL GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS YEAR'S EVENT TOWARDS THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
IN FISCAL YEAR '24 CITY COUNCIL ALLOCATED FUNDS FOR METRO HEALTH TO ESTABLISH OUR DIABETES INSULIN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, WE PARTNERED WITH H-E-B PHARMACY TO HAVE 19 H-E-B PHARMACIES AROUND THE CITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. THE BLUE DOTS ON THE MAP SHOWS WHERE THOSE PHARMACIES ARE LOCATED. WITH THIS PROGRAM, WE PROVIDE UP TO $100 PER INSULIN PRESCRIPTION TO PHARMACY CUSTOMERS WHO CANNOT AFFORD THE CO-PAY OR OUT OF POCKET COST TO PURCHASE THEIR INSULIN.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS PROGRAM SERVED 1,445 INDIVIDUALS. WE COVERED 3,102 PRESCRIPTIONS. ON AVERAGE, THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING PROVIDED PER PRESCRIPTION WAS $64.47. WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH H-E-B NOW TO RELAUNCH THE PROGRAM IN FISCAL YEAR '26. SOME OF OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS. OVER THE YEARS, METRO HEALTH HAS MAINTAINED STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH SEVERAL KEY ORGANIZATIONS. MOST NOTABLY OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH YMCA OF GREATER SAN ANTONIO WHICH STARTED IN 2015.
OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, YMCA HAS HELPED US TO EXTEND OUR REACH BY OFFERING DIABETES PREVENTION AND SELF-MANAGEMENT WORKSHOPS TO HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS.
I WANT TO THANK THEM PERSONALLY FOR BEING HERE WITH US BUT ALSO PARTNERING WITH US. IN TERMS OF MEDICAL PARTNERSHIPS, WE WORK WITH UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL WHO HELPED US TO ESTABLISH A GREAT REFERRAL PROCESS WHERE WE CAN RECEIVE REFERRALS THROUGH THEIR MEDICAL RECORDS SYSTEM TO ENROLL INTO OUR PROGRAMS. ALTHOUGH THIS IS STILL IN ITS EARLY STAGES, JUST RECENTLY WE'VE RECEIVED 184 PATIENT REFERRALS. WE'RE ALSO VERY PROUD OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CENTER FOR REFUGEE SERVICES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO .
WE HAVE PROVIDED SEVERAL DIABETES WORKSHOPS TO THE AFGHAN COMMUNITY AS WELL AS COMMUNITY FIRST HEALTH PLANS WHO HAS BEEN ANOTHER IMPORTANT PARTNER FOR US .
THEY PROVIDE MONTHLY DIABETES GARAGE WORKSHOPS FOR THEIR HEALTH PLAN MEMBERS AND ALSO AN INCREDIBLE REFERRAL RESOURCE FOR US.
WE HAVE OVER 100 ADDITIONAL PARTNERS THAT MAKE THIS WORK POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE CANNOT DO THIS BY OURSELVES. THEY PROVIDED SITES FOR OUR WORKSHOPS, HELP TO PROMOTE OUR PROGRAM, PROVIDE REFERRALS, AND ALSO EXPAND OUR REACH THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY. AS CLAUDE MENTIONED BEFORE, MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE FACING PHYSICAL CHALLENGES INCLUSIVE OF THE DIABETES PROGRAM.
THE DIABETES PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THREE FUNDING SOURCES: MEDICAID 1115 WAIVER, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES, AND THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND.
THE TOTAL COMPLEMENT FOR THIS PROGRAM IS 12, AS MENTIONED BEFORE, BUT THIS FUNDING ALSO TAKES CARE OF ALL OF THE OPERATIONAL EXPENSES, WHICH INCLUDES PROGRAM LICENSES, MATERIALS, AS WELL AS INCENTIVES FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS.
AND RIGHT NOW DUE TO THE END OF THE WAIVER, THAT ANTICIPATES TO BE ENDING IN SEPTEMBER OF 2026, OUR PROGRAM IS NOW FACING A 72% REDUCTION IN FUNDING FOR FISCAL YEAR '27. THIS SLIDE GIVES A BETTER PICTURE OF WHAT THIS IMPACT LOOKS LIKE. SO AS YOU CAN SEE FOR FISCAL YEAR '26, OUR CURRENT FUNDING ON THE LEFT, THIS BUDGET IS A LITTLE OVER $1.6 MILLION.
BUT ONCE WAIVER GOES AWAY, IT LEAVES US WITH 465,038, WHICH IS A REDUCTION OF 72%, AS STATED BEFORE. IN REGARDS TO STAFFING, THIS COMPLEMENT IS A STAFFING OF 12 BUT NINE OUT OF THE 12 ARE FUNDED BY THE WAIVER, LEAVING US WITH THREE HEALTH
[01:05:05]
PROGRAM SPECIALISTS IN 2027. THIS ALSO THEN IMPACTS OUR CAPACITY IN REGARDS TO THE NUMBER OF WORKSHOPS THAT WE CAN CONDUCT, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WE CAN PARTICIPATE IN. AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS SLIDE, IT IS APPROXIMATELY 60% REDUCTION IN WORKSHOP CAPACITY. ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THIS PROGRAM IS THAT IT DOES GENERATE SOME REVENUE FOR THE CITY THROUGH THE CHAIR CARES PROGRAM . AS STATED IN THE SLIDE, THIS PROGRAM RECEIVED A LITTLE OVER $250,000 IN REIMBURSEMENT. AND THIS IS DUE TO THE NUMBER OF WORKSHOPS WE'VE CONDUCTED AS WELL AS OUR SUCCESSFUL PARTICIPANT OUTCOMES. BUT PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS BASED OFF OF 12 STAFF MEMBERS. SO ONCE WAIVER GOES AWAY, THIS AMOUNT WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER. OPPORTUNITIES FOR INNOVATION.IN FISCAL YEAR '27, WE DO ANTICIPATE TO RESTRUCTURE AND COMBINE SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR CHRONIC DISEASE SECTION. ONE OPPORTUNITY IS TO BETTER INTEGRATE OUR NUTRITION TEAM INTO THE DIABETES PROGRAMMING.
THEY DO CONDUCT COMMUNITY PLATICAS, A CONVERSATION ABOUT NUTRITION IN THE COMMUNITY. AS WELL AS EXPAND OUR PROJECT'S POWER YOUTH CURRICULUM. THIS IS NEW THIS YEAR. THIS YEAR WE'RE PILOTING IT TWICE WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PILOT IT IN SCHOOL-BASED CLINICS MANAGED BY UNIVERSITY HEALTH. BUT WE'RE ALSO INCORPORATING IT INTO OUR MAYOR'S FITNESS COUNCIL STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
WE'RE ALSO CONSIDERING A NEW SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL THAT INCORPORATES OTHER PROGRAMS AND POSITIONS ACROSS THE SECTION AND DIVISION. AS CLAUDE STATED, THIS WAIVER IS IMPACTING SO MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT IT DOES FORCE US TO REIMAGINE WHAT THIS WORK IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. WE ALSO WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE WELLNESS PROMOTION EFFORTS AND COLLABORATION WITH MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS. AS MENTIONED BEFORE, NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL DIABETES AWARENESS MONTH AND WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU AS WELL AS YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO OUR FIFTH ANNUAL DIABETES HEALTH FAIR, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14 FROM 4:00 TO 6:00 AT MONTEREY PARK.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS THERE. IN ADDITION, A FREE PRODUCE MARKET. WE'LL DO TURKEY VOUCHER GIVEAWAYS.
WE'LL HAVE ZUMBA, LINE DANCING, AND MORE. PLEASE LET YOUR CONSTITUENTS KNOW THIS IS A FREE EVENT AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. I'M VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE OUR WINNERS FOR OUR SECOND-ANNUAL YOUTH ART AND POETRY CONTEST, WHICH ENCOURAGES YOUTH TO EXPRESS THEIR VOICES AND CREATIVITY REGARDING DIABETES AND WELLNESS. THIS YEAR'SOUT POETRY WINNER IS NINA RODRIGUEZ, WHO IS AN EIGHTH-GRADER FROM S.T.E.M. ACADEMY FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT 1.
AND A 12TH GRADER FROM ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 .
THEY COMPETED WITH OVER 43 STUDENTS WHO SUBMITTED ENTRIES FOR THIS CONTEST.
LAST FRIDAY, WE ACTUALLY HONORED THEM AT I HEART RADIO WHERE THEY GOT A TOUR OF THAT STUDIO AS WELL AS RECEIVED IPADS, TICKETS TO ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS, AS WELL AS THEY WERE INTERVIEWED, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURES ABOVE.
WE DEFINITELY THANK THEM, THEIR PARENTS, AS WELL AS OUR WONDERFUL TEAM AND I HEART WHO MADE THIS HAPPEN. YOU CAN SEE THE POETRY ON THE LEFT BY NINA AS WELL AS THE ARTWORK. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR WONDERFUL TEAM WHO MAKES THIS WORK EVERY DAY AS WELL AS OUR MANY PARTNERS THAT ARE HERE AND WHO ARE NOT HERE WITH US. IF IT'S OKAY, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, MS. KATHY SHIELDS, OUR PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATOR OVER OUR CHRONIC DISEASE SECTION.
MS. DENISE HOUSING, WHO IS THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR CHRONIC DISEASE.
DR. HUNTER, WHO IS OUR COORDINATOR OVER OUR DIABETES PROGRAM, AND THE MANY STAFF THAT WORK UNDERNEATH HIM, AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERS .
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I'LL NOW YIELD TO QUESTIONS. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARJORIE. AND THANK YOU TO BOTH YOU AND CLAUDE FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY. IT WAS PACKED WITH INFORMATION BUT IT'S EXTREMELY RELEVANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT NOT ONLY OUR LANDSCAPE CURRENTLY HERE WITH OUR PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES THAT WE HAVE, DIABETES AND ALSO THE FISCAL ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'RE FACING LOCALLY AND FEDERALLY.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THOSE PRESENTATIONS. I KNOW WE WENT THROUGH A WHOLE BUNCH WITHIN THE FIRST ONE WITH THE MEDICAID WAIVER IN KIND OF A GENERAL VIEW OF
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IT ALL. I JUST WANTED TO LET THE MEMBERS KNOW THAT WE'LL BE HAVING MULTIPLE SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AND SO IF YOU DON'T GET ALL THE QUESTIONS OUT TODAY FOR ALL OF THEM, YOU'LL HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE.ANYONE WANT TO START WITH THE CONVERSATION? COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE.
>> WHYTE: JUST BRIEFLY A COUPLE OF THINGS. SO AFTER THE RESERVE FUND EXPIRES, I GUESS, ARE WE -- SOME PROGRAMS ARE GOING TO SUNSET OR ARE WE GOING TO PRIORITIZE CERTAIN PROGRAMS BASED ON THE OUTCOMES AND EFFECTIVENESS WE'VE SEEN?
>> JACOB: THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW. WHAT YOU SAW WAS A SNAPSHOT OF THE MOST VULNERABLE, BASED ON THE COMMITMENT, THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE WAIVER PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HIGHLIGHTED AND FEATURED THE DIABETES PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS. AND WORKING WITH STAFF, WE DO WANT TO AT LEAST SHARE WITH YOU THE FRAGILITY OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
YES, LOOKING AT THE BURDEN OF DISEASE. YOU KNOW ABOUT DIABETES BEING THE FIFTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THIS COULDN'T BUT WE'RE LOOKING
AT OTHER PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES. >> WHYTE: REMIND ME AGAIN, I HAVE ASKED YOU BEFORE. HOW MUCH FUNDING DOES OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT GET FROM
THE CITY ANNUALLY? >> JACOB: A LITTLE OVER $46 MILLION TIED TO THE
GENERAL FUND FOR THIS YEAR, FOR FY26. >> WHYTE: OKAY.
WHAT ABOUT WORKING WITH BEXAR COUNTY, UNIVERSITY HEALTH, AND OTHER HOSPITAL SYSTEMS TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, SHARED SERVICE MODELS AND THINGS?
>> JACOB: EVERYTHING IS ON THE TABLE. AGAIN, AS A DOVETAIL TO THIS CONVERSATION, I BELIEVE IT WAS A WEEK AGO THE CITY MANAGER TALKED ABOUT THE TABLETOP EXERCISE AND PLANNING SCENARIOS. WE ARE ENGAGING OUR ACADEMIC PARTNERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP US THINK THROUGH DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND MODELS. THIS IS NOT A LINEAR PROCESS ONLY ANCHORING TO OUR WORK, IT DOES IMPACT OTHER NETWORKS AND OTHER SERVICE
SIGNS ACROSS THE CITY AND COUNTY. >> WHYTE: YOU
>> WHYTE: YOU KNOW, MONEY'S TIGHT ALL OVER THE PLACE AND I THINK THERE'S A HEALTHY AMOUNT OF THE GENERAL FUND, I THINK YOU SAID 46 MILLION, THAT WE'RE INVESTING HERE. I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO MOVING FORWARD IS TRY TO COORDINATE, YOU KNOW, WITH, YOU KNOW, FOR TWO YEARS WE'VE BEEN SAYING IT, RIGHT, MORE COORDINATION WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER RELATED ENTITIES IS WHAT I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO DO TO STILL PROVIDE SOME OF THESE SERVICES, BUT AT A LOWER COST TO THE CITY. SO THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE. THANKS, CHAIR.
>> GALVAN: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. COUNCIL MEMBER ALDERETE
GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION. YOU KNOW, I WAS -- COUNCILMAN WHYTE TOOK A CHUNK OF MY TALKING POINTS IN THAT I REALLY WANT US TO FOCUS ON PARTNERING WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER STRATEGIC PARTNERS TO SEE HOW WE CAN STILL OFFER THESE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. BUT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO IT MORE IN A COLLABORATIVE FASHION. DO WE PARTNER WITH THE
COUNTY WHEN APPLYING FOR GRANTS? >> JACOB: I WOULD SAY WE CONFER. THE COUNTY HAS A NEW PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION THAT'S A COUPLE OF YEARS OLD. WE'VE BEEN APPLYING LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PANDEMIC.
WE REALIZE THAT RESOURCES ARE FINITE. THERE ARE CERTAIN CRITERIA AND CERTAIN GRANTS THAT WE AS A MUNICIPALITY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR.
SO YES, WE ARE FEASIBLE, WE PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER PARTNERS ON THE GROUND
BASED ON THE CRITERIA AND THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY. >> GAVITO: AND I THINK PULLING THEM IN AS A PARTNER FOR OUR GRANT APPLICATIONS WILL MAKE IT STRONGER.
AND IT'S JUST AN AREA THAT I THINK WE COULD EXPLORE, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY FUNDING'S TIGHT SO WE NEED TO BE DOING MORE GRANT APPLICATIONS. AND I THINK PULLING THEM IN AS A PARTNER WOULD BE WISE OF US. YOU KNOW, I'M DEFINITELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE REDUCTIONS TO ORAL HEALTH, DIABETES PREVENTION AND CONTROL AND STI CONTROL AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS. WE KNOW THAT WITHOUT ACCESS TO THESE HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS OUR RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO SUFFER.
AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT POOR ORAL HEALTH INCREASES RISKS FOR OTHER DISEASES, DIABETES INCLUDED, AND IT'S EXTREMELY TIED TO THE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS.
I DO APPRECIATE ON THE METRO HEALTH 2.0 PLAN HOW WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON THE PREVENTION SIDE TO REDUCE THE NEED FOR SOME OF THESE DIRECT SERVICES THAT WILL BE LOST. I FEEL THAT THE MORE UPSTREAM WE CAN GO AND HOW Y'ALL OUTLINED HOW IT'S TIED TO THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH I THINK IS SMART.
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SO THAT WAY WE CAN JUST PREVENT THE NEED FOR US HAVING TO DO ALL OF THESE SERVICES BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S JUST GOING TO GET HARDER AND HARDER.MOVING ON TO THE DIABETES SIDE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW I ALREADY MENTIONED THIS. THIS IS HUGE FOR -- THIS WILL BE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND I KNOW DIABETES BEING THE FIFTH LEADING OF CAUSE OF DEATH IN SAN ANTONIO COMPARED TO SEVENTH IN THE U.S., WE KNOW THAT WE NEED THESE SERVICES, BUT WE ALSO KNOW IT'S SO MUCH TIED TO WHERE YOU LIVE AND ALL OF THOSE FACTORS. LET ME SEE.
I'M JUST CHECKING IF THERE WAS ANYTHING ELSE. YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US POSTED ON IT. YEAH, MONEY'S TIGHT. I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO BE CREATIVE ON HOW WE FIND SOLUTIONS AND PULL IN OTHER STRATEGIC PARTNERS LIKE METHODIST HEALTH CARE MINISTRIES OR WHATEVER TO SEE HOW WE CAN PARTNER WITH THEM AND STILL BE ABLE TO OFFER THE SERVICES THAT OUR COMMUNITY REQUIRES.
THANK YOU. >> JACOB: THANK YOU. >> GALVAN: COUNCILWOMAN
CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU, DR. JACOB AND MRS. WHYTE AS WELL FOR THE PRESENTATION. I WANT TO COMMEND YOUR TEAM, PARTICULARLY DR. HUNTER, BECAUSE I'VE KNOWN HIM AS JULIUS PRIOR TO BEING ELECTED I WOULD BE AT THE MEETINGS WHERE HE HE WOULD BE PRESENTING ON JUST THE GREAT WORK THAT METRO HEALTH WAS DOING. SO JUST GREAT TO SEE YOU STILL DOING THE REALLY IMPORTANT WORK FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AS I MENTIONED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WHEN IT COMES TO METRO HEALTH AND HSD AND THESE CORE SERVICES, I BELIEVE THAT COUNCIL REALLY NEEDS TO SHIFT THE PARADIGM IN WHICH WE VIEW THESE DEPARTMENTS AND THE CRITICAL ROLE THEY PLAY IN THE OVERALL HEALTH AND ECONOMY FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. AND WHEN I SAY THAT I MEAN THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE FUND METRO HEALTH. IT'S PRIMARILY RELIANT ON FEDERAL GRANTS, WHICH WE KNOW OFTEN CHANGE DEPENDING ON WHO'S IN OFFICE, BUT THESE ARE CORE SERVICES.
WE HAVE AN UNHEALTHY WORKFORCE THEN WE WILL HAVE A PROBLEM.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY CONNECTING THEM TO SERVICES. AND ALSO TAKING A STEP BACK ON WHAT WE VIEW AS CRISIS.
I DON'T KNOW THE LATEST STATS, BUT I KNOW THAT SAN ANTONIO AND BEXAR COUNTY IS LEADING IN STIS. WE'RE LEADING IN TERMS OF HAVING A POPULATION WITH DIABETES AND SO ON. AND THESE ARE THINGS WE HAVE TO TACKLE THE WAY WE TACKLE ANY OTHER CRISIS. LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHETHER IT'S A PANDEMIC AND/OR PUBLIC SAFETY, WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH INITIATIVE.
I KNOW YOU ALL ARE DOING THE GREAT WORK, BUT I GUESS I'M SPEAKING TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES IN TERMS OF HOW WE NEED TO REDIRECT FUNDS IN TERMS OF YES, WE ARE FACING A TIGHT BUDGET, BUT WE CAN'T LEAVE FAMILIES OUT WITHOUT HEALTH CARE OR RESOURCES AND EDUCATION IN SPITE OF THESE FINANCIAL CHANGES. NOW, WITH THAT BEING SAID, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAD REQUESTED FROM NHSD AWHILE BACK AND I ASKED IF WE COULD LOOK AT THE CHANGE IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH WE'VE SEEN IN IMPACT OF PROGRAMMING.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS A CONCERN THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE DRASTIC CUTS TO HUD, SO ON AND SO FORTH. AND WE DID SEE SOME, BUT EQUIPPING COUNCIL WITH WHAT TO EXPECT, HOW TO PREPARE AND HOW DID WE PIVOT DURING THE LAST TERM? I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. BUT I UNDERSTAND THERE'S GOING TO BE THE TABLETOP EXERCISE AND WHAT I SHARED DURING THE B SESSION IS WHETHER WE'RE LOOKING AT THE HEAT MAP THAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY, WE SEE WHERE THE HIGH CONCENTRATION OF DIABETES IS, AND THE CITY MAP OVER AND OVER AGAIN, NO MATTER WHAT SYSTEMIC ISSUE THAT WE SEE IF IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND WE KNOW WHO WILL BE MOST IMPACTED.
I KNOW YOU ALL COORDINATE WITH THE COUNTY. I THINK IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE WHERE THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY, BUT ALSO HOW AS A CITY CAN WE IDENTIFY WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO METRO HEALTH BECAUSE I THINK AGAIN, EMPHASIZING IF WE HAVE AN UNHEALTHY WORKFORCE IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP US MEET OUR POVERTY GOALS OR GETTING FOLKS OUT OF POVERTY, RATHER. IN TERMS OF THE -- ONE, I WANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE IN TERMS OF USING THE VACANT POSITIONS TO ENSURE THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY FOLKS THAT HAD TO BE LET GO IN TERMS OF THE REDUCTIONS THAT WERE MADE. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND OF COURSE FOR OUR CITY MANAGER ON THAT ISSUE AS WELL. BUT HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO, AGAIN, JUST HITTING HOME THE POINT OF LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUND TO SUPPORT METRO HEALTH. AND I KNOW I'M BEING REPETITIVE AND REDUNDANT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE TO BE. BUT ALL THAT TO SAY JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO, AND THESE ARE ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO KEEP AT THE FOREFRONT BECAUSE IT JUST IMPACTS FOLKS ALL THROUGHOUT THE
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CITY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT OFFLINE HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY USE D5 CARRY FORWARD FUNDS TO HELP SUPPORT THE INSULIN COST SHARE PROGRAM TO MEET THE NEEDS OF MORE FAMILIES. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORKTHAT Y'ALL DO. THANK YOU. >> JACOB: THANK YOU FOR THAT SUPPORT. AND RECOGNIZING THAT THESE CHALLENGES ARE NOT UNIQUE TO SAN ANTONIO OR METRO HEALTH. JUST A WEEK AGO WE HAD OUR ANNUAL MEETING WITH THE BIG CITIES HEALTH COALITION SO THE 35 LARGEST HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, WE LOOKED AT NOTES AND LOOKING AT CONTINGENCY PLANNING, LOOKING AT THE IMPACTS OF FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS AND TRYING TO MAINTAIN RECOGNIZING WE'RE TYING THAT IN, WE'RE KEEPING OUR EAR TO THE GROUND AND WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENTS FOR METRO HEALTH, ESPECIALLY THROUGH THE LOST YEARS OF THE PANDEMIC. SO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WE'RE SHARING WITH YOU AT LEAST THE CHALLENGES. WE'RE STILL FATIGUED BUT WE ARE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS AND WE APPRECIATE ANY IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS OR INNOVATIONS AS WE'VE SHARED TIED TO THE WORK OF THE DIABETES PROGRAM AND THE SUPPORT OF OUR PARTNERS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT
SUPPORT. >> CASTILLO: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> GALVAN: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. CLAUDE AND TEAM, OF COURSE, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR PRESENTING TODAY. I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING TOO DIFFERENT FROM WHAT MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES SHARED ABOUT WAYS WE CONTINUE TO SHARE OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR FUNDING IS STILL GOING AS FAR AS IT CAN, GIVEN THE FISCAL CRISIS WE'LL FACE IN OUR OWN GENERAL FUND, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. YOUR PORTION OF THE GENERAL FUND IS SLIVERS IN TERMS OF EVERYTHING ELSE, RIGHT, WHEN WE LOOK AT PERCENTAGES.
SO WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE PIECE ABOUT THE NUMBER WE HAVE THERE AND OF COURSE WE'RE LOOKING AT A NUMBER WE'LL BE LOSING AS WELL FROM REVENUE THAT WE HAVE, IT'S ALWAYS JUST INTERESTING -- IT'S ALWAYS FRUSTRATING TO ME THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT THE SMALL PLACES TO TRIM DOWN VERSUS ANYTHING ELSE. AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER CASTILLO'S POINT AND COUNCIL MEMBER GAVITO'S POINT, WE KNOW THEY ARE OUTCOMES IN TERMS OF HEALTH, WORKFORCE NEEDS, ECONOMIC NEEDS IN OUR CITY.
I'M VERY CONCERNED OF COURSE AND I THINK WE ALL ARE IN THE KIND OF SIGNIFICANT CUTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE WITHIN PARTICULAR ORAL HEALTH, PRETTY MUCH ELIMINATION OF IT. STAND UP SA BEING CUT IN HALF.
OTHER ENTITIES GETTING CUT PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY. AND IDEALLY WE GO ABOUT WAYS TO FUND THAT. BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE DIRECT AFFECTS OF THAT. HOW MANY NUMBER OF RESIDENTS ARE CURRENTLY SERVED THAT WON'T BE SERVED ANYMORE. I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND OTHER CAPACITIES FOR OUR PARTNERS TOO. IS THERE ENOUGH FUNDING WITHIN THOSE GROUPS AND ENTITIES TO BRING IN THE RESIDENTS WITHIN THOSE SAME PROGRAMS. ARE THERE SLOTS AVAILABLE IN THEIR PROGRAMMING WITHOUT THE FUNDING FROM METRO HEALTH? AND THE COUNTY HAS TO ALSO DO THEIR OWN WORK IF THEY'RE NOT ALREADY DOING IT. EVEN IF THERE ARE, HOW MANY SLOTS ARE THERE TOO? I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO PAINT THIS PICTURE AND DETERMINE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NEXT. I THINK A LOT ABOUT STAND UP SA AND WE'LL GET TO THEM LATER ON WITHIN OUR COMMITTEE, BUT THE POINT ABOUT THE GEOGRAPHY, IT'S A SMALLER PROGRAM ALREADY AND IT'S BEEN TRYING TO EXPAND FURTHER AND FURTHER OUT TO OUR CITY WHERE WE'RE SEEING RECURRING ISSUES OF GUN VIOLENCE AND CRIME AND WE KNOW THAT THE MODEL IS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL NOT ONLY HERE BUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY WHERE WE SEE 68% REDUCTION IN GUN VIOLENCE.
NEVER JUST A SLIM MAJORITY, BUT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT REDUCED.
SO UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE AS SOON AS THOSE FUNDING CUTS ARE MADE THEN WE'LL SEE HOW MUCH LIKELY GUN VIOLENCE INCREASES IN THESE PARTICULAR AREAS AND WHERE THESE PLACES WILL NO LONGER HAVE THE SUPPORT FROM ALL OF THIS EFFORTS -- THESE EFFORTS. AGAIN, I KNOW IT'S A BIT BLEAK, I GUESS, BUT I GUESS THE DATA POINT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND WHO -- WHO OUR PARTNERS ARE, OF COURSE, BUT HOW MUCH DO THEY REALLY HAVE IN THIS REALM BECAUSE IT'S SOMETIMES EASY FOR US AND HELP FOR US TO THINK MAYBE SOMEONE CAN TAKE THIS ON, OTHERWISE THEY PUT OUR RESIDENTS OUT TO DRY. I THINK THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD CONVERSATION HERE AND LET'S HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS GO ON. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND THAT WAS THE LAST ITEM -- SORRY, CLAUDE? >> JACOB: JUST UNDERSCORE MY THANKS. AGAIN, 30 YEARS, FOUR STATES.
REALLY APPRECIATING THE COMMUNITY HERE. I CAN'T SAY THANKS ENOUGH TO OUR FANTASTIC TEAM ON THE GROUND AND THE SUPPORT OF OUR PARTNERS.
WHILE WE HAVE BEEN PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO THE PLIGHT OF PUBLIC HEALTH TIED TO THE PANDEMIC, JUST KNOW THAT THE CHALLENGES OUT THERE ECLIPSE THE INEXPERIENCE WE HAD DURING THE LOST YEARS OF THE PANDEMIC. SO THIS IS A GREAT FORUM.
WE WILL BRING THE TOPICS IN FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THERE'S NOT AN ACTION TO BE TAKEN THIS MORNING, BUT THIS IS INTENDED TO BE A BRIEFING AND WE'LL BRING AS MANY EXAMPLES AND THE SUPPORT OF OUR PARTNERS AS WE CAN MUSTER OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO METRO HEALTH AND
THE TEAM ON THE GROUND. >> GALVAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH, CLAUDE.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY HERE TODAY. DID YOU HAVE ANY LAST COMMENTS? ALL GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AT THIS TIME, 11:27 A.M. ON OCTOBER 23RD, OUR
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.