A Craftsman’s Return to Stability
May 1, 2026
After multiple sclerosis changed his life, Michael Vasquez found coordinated care, housing support, and a path forward.
Located on the 11th floor of The Castilian, a historic off-campus private housing complex for The University of Texas students, is the dining hall. Thousands have walked the floor over the years and enjoyed everything it has to offer.
Michael Vasquez admires the space for another reason.
The 58-year-old Austin native says he re-tiled the entire floor during a renovation in the 2000s. To Michael, who spent his entire life as a master tile-setter, that job represents one of the finest works of his career.
In 2022, however, his life changed and put that future on hold when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The condition quickly affected his ability to live and work.
Some days he struggled to walk, and other days he couldn’t do it at all. By 2024, Michael was out on the streets.
Fortunately, things began to change when he arrived at the South Austin Housing Navigation Center. He enrolled in the Medical Access Program by Central Health (also known as MAP), a coverage option for Travis County residents with low income.
And with the right health care, he began to trust more.
Finding Answers
Michael is a life-long Austin resident. He’s the father of four and has been married twice. For much of his life, he’s taken care of himself.
“I’ve been on my own since 13,” he said.
In his late teens, his father taught him how to tile-set. Over the years, he completed projects at Dairy Queen on Burnet Road and Wally’s Burgers just off Spicewood Springs. What that gave him was his own slice of American life.
He was content with it, at least until it all changed.
“Things were starting to happen, and I didn’t know what was going on,” he said.
Michael found the answers he was looking for through a series of visits to St. David’s North Austin Medical Center and neuro specialists in Round Rock. The doctors’ final step was to perform a spinal tap.
“They told me right then and there,” Vasquez said of his diagnosis of Multiple sclerosis.
Getting Care That Counts
The Central Health system exists to connect people like Michael to health care needs.
He never planned on a life-changing condition like MS. But he’s always told himself he can handle whatever comes his way. A major reason as to why he’s been able to turn the corner is because of public access to health care.
“I met the best doctor,” Michael said of his CommUnityCare Health Centers physician. “His name is Dr. (Matt) Hubley.”
From his MAP coverage in 2024, Michael began seeing Dr. Hubley and was also able to see a behavioral health therapist with Central Health.
“Dr. Hubley doesn’t look at you like you are homeless,” Michael says, “He looks at you like a person.”
In late December, after re-enrolling in MAP, Michael received knee surgery. A Central Health community health worker (CHW) helped him navigate appointments and other health care needs over that stretch.
“During the time of our team’s involvement in Mike’s care, I have seen a positive change in his openness and optimism about his condition, its management, and prognosis,” said Dr. Hubley, who’s been on the CommUnityCare Health Care for the Homeless team since 2024. “What has remained unchanged is his fierce self-advocacy and willingness to be engaged in his care. We just needed to help him find out how best to do that.”
By 2026, Michael found residence at the RBJ Senior Housing, an affordable housing complex that sits off Lady Bird Lake in East Austin. The apartment gives Michael, who uses the assistance of a walker, a view he can wake up to every day.
In early 2026, he was approved for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), while his health coverage shifted to Medicaid. He re-enrolled with MAP Dental and continues to work with Central Health case managers and CHWs.
Michael knows he will need to take care of himself and live with MS for the rest of his life, but with health care coverage and the Central Health system there to support him, he says he’s found better peace of mind.
“I just want to be happy,” he said.
More on the Medical Access Program:
The Medical Access Program (MAP) is a public health coverage program for Travis County residents with low income. With MAP or MAP Basic, residents can schedule primary care visits, dental care, prescription medications, and other health services. For questions on whether you are eligible, find out more.