How the Voice of the Community is Shaping a Better, More Equitable Health Care System for Travis County

Is an equitable health care system possible? Central Health seeks to create a high-functioning health care system that provides more opportunities for Travis County residents to have access to care – particularly those who are uninsured or underinsured. In 2020, Central Health launched a systems planning initiative to create a high-functioning, patient- and equity-focused health care system that will improve the health of people living in Travis County. In the initial phase of the project, the organization carefully studied changing demographics and gaps in the system to begin identifying the needs of residents.

In October 2021, we launched Voice of the Community – an initiative to understand factors that influence patient access, connectedness, continuity, and trust - and improve health equity among some of our most vulnerable populations. The initiative started with focus groups dedicated to understanding the needs of the people.

Since then, Central Health has

  • Held focus groups with advocacy groups, people with low income, and institutions;

  • Met with community advocacy groups to share information about the initiative;

  • And conducted one-on-one interviews with people experiencing homelessness.

Our community engagement efforts have been focused around capturing the voices of people with low income and partnering with community organizations and advocacy groups to help us connect with people who are hard to reach.

Below are examples of ways Central Health has connected with the community:

  1. Listening to patients - Staff and vendors invited residents with low income to a community dinner at Dobie Early College Prep Academy and to a community lunch at the Central Health Southeast Health & Wellness Center to hear about their experiences with the health care system over a catered meal. We offered transportation to and from these events for MAP/MAP-Basic members. We also offered children activities so parents could bring their children and feel comfortable participating. People representing a total of 84 households participated. Each household received an H-E-B gift card in appreciation for their time.

  2. Talking to people that are often overlooked - Sunrise Community Church opened their doors and allowed us to use their space for one-on-one conversations with those experiencing homelessness. Thirty participants received a Target or H-E-B gift card in appreciation for their time.

  3. Understanding how organizations help connect patients to better care - Central Health met with advocates and members of community agencies like Austin Asian Community Health Initiative, Community Coalition for Health, Latino Healthcare Forum, Caritas of Austin, Casa Marianella, and many others (The Community Engagement Report, which will be published in January 2022, will include the complete list).

  4. Asking the people of Travis County to get involved - In addition, Central Health has been sharing information on this initiative and ways to get involved during community meetings like the Colony Park Neighborhood Association, the Anti-Poverty Community Advisory Committee, the Del Valle Community Coalition, the Central Health Equity Policy Council, and many others (The Community Engagement Report, which will be published in January 2022, will include the complete list).

Next Steps:

In the next few weeks, we are continuing to work diligently to elevate the voice of the community. Currently, our staff is calling MAP/MAP-Basic members directly to conduct a survey focused on ways we can improve the health care system for Travis County residents with low income. We want to hear from as many people as possible so that the decisions made out of this process are based on a diverse and broad set of voices of people around Travis County.

For those who have not had the opportunity to participate, we also have an online survey: tinyurl.com/CHVOC.

These efforts are taking place both in Spanish and in English. Staff and vendors have been offering accommodations for speakers of other languages upon request. For language accommodations, please email: communications@centralhealth.net.

Additionally, Central Health plans to host a Facebook Live Community Conversation on Thursday, December 16 from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in English and 1 - 2 p.m. in Spanish to share with the public information about the initiative and ways to get involved.

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/204125263157

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