OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Community Health Committee Meeting - December 2, 2025

Council Committees — Tuesday, December 2, 2025
BodySan Antonio, Texas
SessionCouncil Committees
DateTuesday, December 2, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:28:24

Transcript — Verbatim
0:04

Okay.

0:04

The time is now 10.03 a.m.

0:07

on this Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025.

0:10

We'll be now called the community health meeting to order.

0:13

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

0:15

Councilmember Castillo.

0:17

Councilmember Alderete Gavito.

0:19

Councilmember White.

0:21

Chair Government.

0:22

Here.

0:22

Chair, we have quorum.

0:24

Perfect.

0:25

Get things started, get things rolling.

0:27

First item of the agenda is proval of the minutes.

0:29

Are there any corrections to the minutes?

0:32

If not, can I get a motion to approve the minutes?

0:37

Great.

0:37

All those in favor of approving the minutes say aye.

0:40

Any opposed?

0:41

Any abstentions?

0:43

Moving along.

0:44

Let's move on to public comment.

0:46

Madam Clerk and any citizens out to speak for public comment.

0:51

Yes, Chair, we have five people signed up to speak on item number two.

0:55

Great.

1:01

Raymond Bryant?

1:02

Perfect.

1:13

On behalf of the community health workers and community health, I think that one of the greatest things the city has chosen to do is focus on community health.

1:25

And all of the programs that we've seen and the people that we've been able to work with make a tremendous difference in the community because they come and we're able to help people understand food and understand what is food and what's not food.

1:40

And uh and and know the difference between good food and junk food.

1:45

And I think that it's important for us to continue to undergird the programs because it's making a difference, and I think that it changes, I don't think I know it changes the health outcomes for so many people, and so many people have been helped through this process, and so they're learning how to grow food, learning how to prepare food, learning how to eat healthy food, and learning how to lead healthier lives.

2:13

So I think that the community health programs are excellent for the city, and they make a tremendous difference in the community, and they're doing a great job, and so we've developed some real partnerships, and so they come, they help us in all areas of the community, and we're looking forward to continuing to do great things.

2:36

We're building gardens.

2:38

So I'm actually with San Antonio Million Garden Project, and so we built gardens all over the community, and we continue to build them.

2:47

We're growing food and we're getting help uh from the community health workers and from the health department.

2:54

And so we're just thankful for the opportunities and for what it means when the city actually participates in promoting health in the community and helping the community become healthier.

3:08

So I think that that's a tremendous asset, and we're thankful for all that they do and all that is taking place, and we hope that it continues and expands as we go forward.

3:20

Thank you.

3:22

Thank you for the comments.

3:24

Uh Linda Carmen Bryant.

3:27

You have three minutes.

3:31

When do my time start?

3:39

Good morning.

3:41

Um since it hasn't started, I'll go ahead and start.

3:45

Good morning.

3:46

Uh I I'm grateful for this opportunity to come and be able to speak on behalf of the community health workers.

3:52

Uh, just I know I have three minutes.

3:54

Um I'm prior military, served 30 years in the army, retired here in San Antonio.

3:59

Uh I'm also a former um uh member of the community health workers team with healthy neighborhoods, and so um I understand the importance of what community health workers do, and what it also does is it provides an opportunity for us to be able to communicate with those that are out within the various communities.

4:18

We do focus my area then was the east side of San Antonio, where a lot of the demographics there are people who really are in need of healthy food, and those areas in which they live are food deserts.

4:31

And so one of the things I did as a part of the community health work is trying to go in to help provide healthy food even at the grocery stores when they have the initiative where they try to put healthy uh fruits and vegetables within those department stores at the cost that they can afford, not jacking it up as they do in typically in those community uh grocery stores.

5:00

But one thing is important for us to know is that food is medicine, and so when we can provide them and help them to have healthy food where they can go outside their homes, their doors and pull out of their gardens uh things that they can cook versus having to run to the store and those other things, and we know that the things that we grow in our own gardens are more healthier than what we get in some of these stores.

5:11

And so for CHWs to be able to provide those options for them definitely makes a difference.

5:16

So the initiative that has been made with the project that they're having really makes a difference.

5:21

And so, again, if the city can support those efforts, it does make a difference.

5:25

And so when we talk about COVID, how the impact of those who were lost their lives, they were based on the mobilities that they had, and healthy food can help to help offset some of those healthy um impacts that they've had.

5:40

So we look forward to what will take place, and we pray that you guys will help to increase what's being done.

5:46

Thank you.

5:48

Thank you for your comments.

5:50

Uh Susie Schumann.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Health███████████████████████████████████████████43%
Mental Health Awareness█████████████████████████████29%
Budget███████7%
Public Education█████5%
Homelessness████4%
Affordable Housing███3%
Procedural██2%
Medicaid Waiver██2%
Community Engagement██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Community Health Committee Meeting - December 2, 2025

The City of San Antonio's Community Health Committee convened on December 2, 2025, to receive updates on the Healthy Neighborhoods program and the Teen Mental Health Survey. The meeting featured presentations from Metro Health and Department of Human Services (DHS) staff, alongside public testimony from community members, academics, and youth leaders. Key themes centered on the critical impact of community health workers (CHWs), the urgent need for youth mental health resources, and significant funding challenges posed by the impending expiration of the Medicaid 1115 waiver in September 2026, which threatens a 36% budget reduction and loss of institutional knowledge.

Consent Calendar

  • The minutes from the previous meeting were approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Raymond Bryant (representing Community Health Workers and the San Antonio Million Garden Project): Expressed full support for city-funded community health programs, stating they are "excellent" and make a "tremendous difference" by helping residents learn to grow, prepare, and eat healthy food. He emphasized the partnership between the city, health workers, and the Million Garden Project in building community gardens.
  • Linda Carmen Bryant (Retired Military and Former Community Health Worker): Expressed strong support for the initiative, noting it provides crucial communication channels in food deserts. She argued that "food is medicine" and stated that healthy food can help offset the negative health impacts of the pandemic and other mobility-related issues.
  • Susie Schumann (Safety Net Director, United Way of San Antonio & Bexar County): Highlighted the partnership between United Way and Metro Health to strengthen the food system. She expressed gratitude for the collaboration and presented data on the top needs in Bexar County (housing, food, utilities), noting the critical role of the 211 helpline.
  • Alfredo Ortiz Aragon (Professor, University of the Incarnate Word): Expressed strong support for the "community first" and "community-centered" strategies of Healthy Neighborhoods. He advocated to invest more in these programs rather than less, citing successful collaborative research between the university and the program that empowers community members as experts.
  • Molly (Unaffiliated Resident): Expressed strong opposition to the city's current warming center protocols and criticized the council for alleged inaction. She stated the current policy effectively allows people to die on the streets due to temperatures in the 50s. She accused the city of prioritizing human sweeps over shelter, stating, "human sweeps is not the answer" and that the current measures amount to "death." She demanded the immediate opening of 24-hour warming centers.

Discussion Items

  • Healthy Neighborhoods Program Update:

    • Marjorie White (Assistant Director, Community Health and Safety Division): Presented the program's background, noting it has operated since 2013 using an asset-based community development model. She detailed the program's three branches (Community Connectors, REACH, and Via Coronado Resource Center) and reported significant positive outcomes, including a 60% reduction in sugar intake and a 67% reduction in saturated fats among participants. However, she warned that the expiration of the Medicaid 1115 waiver by September 30, 2026, will result in a loss of approximately $8 million and 80 staff citywide, impacting this program specifically with a 36% budget reduction (from ~$2.1M to $1.3M) and a staffing drop from 23 to 16. She noted this would reduce the program's capacity by 35-50%.
    • Anna McNack (Program Manager): Confirmed that the program tracks success through qualitative stories, videos, and quantitative measures, with a specific study showing the "Double Up Food Bucks" initiative increases the variety and quantity of produce purchased.
    • Councilmember White: Expressed concern regarding the potential loss of "institutional knowledge" if staff are displaced to private non-profits with lower pay and benefits. She emphasized the city's responsibility to retain these workers and ensure they have equal opportunities within the community.
    • Councilman Rika Steele: Expressed highly positive regard for the program's asset-based approach, noting that the city "cannot afford to lose any community health workers." She requested further data on long-term health outcomes, cost savings, and specific demographics of those served.
    • Councilman Castillo: Highlighted the program's role in reducing health disparities and commended the team for the diabetes fair and community engagement.

  • Teen Mental Health Survey Update:

    • Rebecca Flores (Education Program Administrator, DHS): Presented the 2022-2024 Teens Mental Health Survey results. She reported that depressive traits decreased from 2022 to 2024 (e.g., inability to perform daily tasks dropped from 37% to 25%; feelings of hopelessness dropped from 49% to 36%), attributing this to city investments. However, she noted that rates remain significantly high, with over 50% of LGBTQ+ and gender-diverse youth reporting suicidal ideations.
    • Jesse Higgins (Chief Mental Health Officer): Presented data showing that while emergency department visits for self-harm in youth have trended downward since 2021, suicide remains a leading cause of death. He highlighted the exhaustion of ARPA funds and the new implementation of Texas SB 12 regarding parental consent for mental health services in schools.
    • Robert Jimenez (San Antonio Youth Commission) & Natalie Salcedo (Teen Ambassador): Both advocated strongly for continued investment, stating the survey gives youth a "real voice" and that mental health resources are essential for academic and personal success.

Key Outcomes

  • Status Acknowledgement: The Committee acknowledged the high fragility of the Healthy Neighborhoods program and other waiver-funded initiatives due to the impending Medicaid 1115 waiver expiration in September 2026.
  • Data Requests: Councilmembers directed Metro Health and DHS to provide further analysis, including:
    • Long-term outcome data and cost-savings projections for the Healthy Neighborhoods program.
    • Demographic breakdowns of those served by CHWs.
    • Comparative pre- and post-pandemic baseline data for youth mental health metrics.
    • Details on the potential placement of CHWs if funding lapses.
  • Future Planning: The committee noted ongoing strategic planning to identify partners who could potentially absorb program components if city funding is lost, though no specific funding approvals were enacted during this meeting. Councilmembers reaffirmed their commitment to finding solutions to prevent the reduction of community health services.
  • Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:39 a.m.

Meeting Transcript

Okay. The time is now 10.03 a.m. on this Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025. We'll be now called the community health meeting to order. Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Councilmember Castillo. Councilmember Alderete Gavito. Councilmember White. Chair Government. Here. Chair, we have quorum. Perfect. Get things started, get things rolling. First item of the agenda is proval of the minutes. Are there any corrections to the minutes? If not, can I get a motion to approve the minutes? Great. All those in favor of approving the minutes say aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Moving along. Let's move on to public comment. Madam Clerk and any citizens out to speak for public comment. Yes, Chair, we have five people signed up to speak on item number two. Great. Raymond Bryant? Perfect. On behalf of the community health workers and community health, I think that one of the greatest things the city has chosen to do is focus on community health. And all of the programs that we've seen and the people that we've been able to work with make a tremendous difference in the community because they come and we're able to help people understand food and understand what is food and what's not food. And uh and and know the difference between good food and junk food. And I think that it's important for us to continue to undergird the programs because it's making a difference, and I think that it changes, I don't think I know it changes the health outcomes for so many people, and so many people have been helped through this process, and so they're learning how to grow food, learning how to prepare food, learning how to eat healthy food, and learning how to lead healthier lives. So I think that the community health programs are excellent for the city, and they make a tremendous difference in the community, and they're doing a great job, and so we've developed some real partnerships, and so they come, they help us in all areas of the community, and we're looking forward to continuing to do great things. We're building gardens. So I'm actually with San Antonio Million Garden Project, and so we built gardens all over the community, and we continue to build them. We're growing food and we're getting help uh from the community health workers and from the health department. And so we're just thankful for the opportunities and for what it means when the city actually participates in promoting health in the community and helping the community become healthier. So I think that that's a tremendous asset, and we're thankful for all that they do and all that is taking place, and we hope that it continues and expands as we go forward. Thank you. Thank you for the comments. Uh Linda Carmen Bryant. You have three minutes. When do my time start? Good morning. Um since it hasn't started, I'll go ahead and start. Good morning. Uh I I'm grateful for this opportunity to come and be able to speak on behalf of the community health workers. Uh, just I know I have three minutes. Um I'm prior military, served 30 years in the army, retired here in San Antonio. Uh I'm also a former um uh member of the community health workers team with healthy neighborhoods, and so um I understand the importance of what community health workers do, and what it also does is it provides an opportunity for us to be able to communicate with those that are out within the various communities. We do focus my area then was the east side of San Antonio, where a lot of the demographics there are people who really are in need of healthy food, and those areas in which they live are food deserts.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com