Leading With Integrity, Accountability, and Access: Nakia Smith, Chief Compliance Officer
Black History Month, for Central Health Chief Compliance Officer Nakia Smith, is less about a single moment and more about responsibility. It is a time to reflect on leadership, accountability, […]
A Trusted Tax Program in Southeast Austin
Longtime volunteers help residents navigate the filing process–free of charge. AUSTIN—It wasn’t surprising when Mario Rodriguez showed up on the first day tax preparation services were available for Travis County […]
A Breaking Point That Led to Healing
With MAP coverage from Central Health, Christopher Luna was able to access surgery, recovery, and a path forward Christopher Luna once accepted the daily pain that accompanied his life. He […]
A Legacy of Action: Shannon Jones Caps Eight Years of Transforming Care in Travis County
As the Central Health board manager wraps up his service this December, here’s a look at the work that moved the system forward AUSTIN, Texas — When Shannon Jones walked […]
5 Things to Know About 2025 World AIDS Day
The start of December brings an annual moment of reflection, solidarity, and hope in the global response to HIV/AIDS. World AIDS Day was first observed in 1988, just seven years […]
Week of Thanks: Gratitude for a Year of Progress and Partnership
by Dr. Pat Lee President and CEO As we approach Thanksgiving, I’ve been reflecting on how much we have to be grateful for across our Central Health community. Trust allows […]
Central Health’s Partnership with FarmShare Is Providing Impact in the Eastern Crescent
The nonprofit piloted a ‘Fresh for Less Mobile Market’ at the Central Health Southeast Health & Wellness Center. It now has four markets across the Central Health system. When Laura […]
One System, One Vision: The Year of Access
Travis County Commissioners voted unanimously on Sept. 16 to approve Central Health’s tax rate and budget. When Travis County Commissioners voted on Central Health’s Fiscal Year 2026 tax rate and […]
35 Years and Counting: The Impact of the David Powell Health Center
Named after a tireless HIV-AIDS advocate, the clinic first opened in 1990 and has become a beacon of hope in Travis County. The late David Powell was driven by a […]
A Health Summit for Latinos in Travis County: How Vivir Con Ganas Was Born
The first-ever Community Health Expo for Latinos is two years in the making and is scheduled to take place on September 27 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Austin. When […]
Local Musician Earns Peace of Mind Through Support from Health Alliance for Austin Musicians
Four years ago, Kelsi Creek, 32, enrolled in HAAM, securing health coverage through Sendero Health Plans. Soon enough, it was a lifesaver Kelsi Creek used to believe that affordable health […]
This Central Health Nurse Manager’s Public Health Mission Has Come Full Circle
Finding inspiration from her own experience, Iza Ferrino, 32, is pulled to serve the underserved population in Travis County When Iza Ferrino walks into an exam room inside the Central […]
A Journey from Pain to Purpose
Inspired by her personal journey, Ayisha Mahama is training in dermatology to bring hope and care to Central Texas patients. In the clinic, empathy has always driven Dr. Ayisha Mahama […]
From Streets to Surgery to Stability: How Central Health’s Coordinated Care Transformed One Man’s Life
Alan Kelly’s journey through two major surgeries to permanent housing shows the power of wraparound health care AUSTIN, Texas—Alan Kelly’s fingers began to flex inward, and his back was beginning […]
How the Medical Access Program Changed Stephen Guerrero’s Life for the Better
After being diagnosed with a serious and rare condition, this Austin resident found help through a program offered by Central Health Leaving a local Austin hospital in April of last […]
Trust Is the First Intervention: Lessons from the M3 Team Model
By Dr. Patrick Lee, President & CEO, Central Health Reimagining Care for Those Too Often Left Out At Central Health, we often say that care begins with trust. But trust […]
Powered by Partnership: Medical Student Demonstrates the Value of Central Health’s Relationship with Dell Med
Aquiel Warner, 31, is part of a growing local physician workforce committed to caring for those who need us most. Aquiel Warner once dreamed of following in the footsteps of […]
From Historic Healing to New Hope: Introducing the Respite Center at the CEC
By Dr. Pat Lee, President & CEO, Central Health Sometimes the most impactful transformations happen in unexpected places. Taking an old hospital building that has sat mostly overlooked for many […]
Three Months with Travis County Residents Aiming to Re-Shape the Way They View Health and Wellness
As part of a medical optimization pilot program with Central Health, two Austin residents vowed to lose more than just weight: They also aimed to reclaim their lives. A total […]
Investing in People, Strengthening Our Health System
By Dr. Pat Lee As President & CEO of Central Health, I often say that the health of our community depends on the strength of our connections, to each other, […]
The Story of the Del Valle Health & Wellness Center Began with a Community’s Call for Change
Years of planning have led to the grand opening of the Del Valle Health & Wellness Center on June 7, which will kickstart the future of health care access for […]
How a Medical Assistant Program is Helping One Travis County Resident Form a Better Life
Sarai Vences, 19, graduated from the Central Health and Austin Community College MA apprenticeship program in 2024 and hasn’t looked back since. AUSTIN, Texas– Nine months into her job as […]
From Recognition to Action: Supporting AAPI Health in Central Texas
By Dr. Pat Lee, President & CEO of Central Health Each May, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month gives us the opportunity to celebrate the cultures, histories, and […]
How A Mural of ‘El Montopolis Kid’ In the Southeast Health & Wellness Center Reflects the East Austin Community
The 90-year-old Johnny Degollado, a legendary conjunto musician in Central Texas, still plays his accordion “On Cinco de Mayo, it’s Johnny’s Day,” said Piper LeMoine, the Communications Director for the […]
Five-Year HIV Screening Policy Campaign Proved to Save Lives
HIV screening rates for MAP and MAP Basic patients in Travis County were found at rates 64% higher than the state average and 84% greater than the national average. AUSTIN, […]
One Vote, Many Victories
How the Central Health Policy Council Sparked Momentum for Health Equity Across Travis County By Arianna Gomez-Lopez, Public Health & Policy Specialist What happened next surpassed expectations. Even after the […]
Justice-Involved Health Providing Positive Health Outcomes for Jailed Populations
When an inmate at the Travis County Jail arrived at the Central Health East Austin Specialty Clinic in June and was treated as part of the safety-net system’s Justice Involved […]
Kimmy Needed Help After Breaking Her Hand-That’s When HAAM And Sendero Health Plans Stepped In
An Austin disc jockey needed health care coverage after a medical emergency. She found community through her situation. Central Health and CommUnityCare Health Centers (CUC), both long-standing HAAM partners, provide […]
How a Calling Led This Central Health Doctor, Among the First Graduates of Dell Medical School, into Medicine
Dr. Brooke Wagen was one of 50 graduates in the first-ever class at Dell Medical School in 2020. She now works inside Central Health’s Supportive and Palliative Care department. By […]
For Steve, Healing Wasn’t Just About Being Cancer-Free – It Was About Feeling Supported
Through its Medical Access Program, one patient found total care through the Supportive and Palliative Care team at Central Health The Central Health gastroenterology team had referred him first. Then […]