Bexar County will use $60M for public health
Commissioner says federal pandemic aid will help tackle inequities tied to income, education that pandemic has exposed
SAN ANTONIO — Up to $60 million in federal pandemic aid will be set aside to serve economically disadvantaged communities in outlying Bexar County, officials announced Tuesday.
The county is forming a public health division under its University Health system. County leaders also will re-examine and coordinate some 15 health-related services currently provided by several departments. A nine-member public health advisory board will be created, and the county will build on partnerships with Texas A&M University-San Antonio and local school districts to develop a trained health care workforce to serve the South Side.
The county’s investment “is about no longer allowing a person’s ZIP code to determine his or her health outcomes,” said Commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores.
She said the initiative, announced by County Judge Nelson Wolff and supported by all four county commissioners, will empower the community by tackling health inequities tied to income and education that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed.
The virus has been linked to the death of some 5,300 county residents in the past two years. Many had diabetes, heart disease and other risk factors.
“We have to understand how educational opportunities, racism, poverty and other social determinants contribute to the health, both physically and mentally, of students as they grow into adulthood,” Clay-Flores said.
A portion of the $388 million provided to the county through the federal American Rescue Plan Act will be allocated for the initiative as commissioners continue discussions on other uses of the funds, including affordable housing, mental health services, domestic violence treatment and prevention, and financial stabilization after revenue losses from the pandemic. The county has until the end of 2026 to spend the money.
Commissioner Justin Rodriguez, who helped with the reorganization, said the county has a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to make transformative, real change in our community.” He said it’s about “truly expanding and reimagining how we can take these initiatives to the doorsteps of families who need it the most.”
A&M-San Antonio President Cynthia Teniente-Matson said the university offers a four-year degree in community health, is building a pipeline to attract middle and high school students who are interested in health careers, and is developing a public health division facility.
“We talk a lot about collective impact. This is a critical example that you can point to, you’ll be able to touch. You’ll be able to see the impact of all of us working together to lift our communities,” Teniente-Matson said.
The new public health advisory board will be composed of five appointees from the Commissioners Court and four from University Health’s board of managers.
University Health President and CEO George Hernandez said advancing public health dovetails with the hospital district’s mission.
“Unfortunately, public health access is not equal across the county. Certain areas of unincorporated Bexar County need additional support,” Hernandez said.