Central Health plans two new health centers in east Travis County
Nicole VillalpandoCentral Health, the public agency that connects low-income residents in Travis County with health care, will begin construction of two centers in eastern Travis County.
As part of its strategic plan, Central Health has been looking at health equity in Travis County and gaps in coverage, which is why it identified the Hornsby Bend and Del Valle areas as sites for new health centers.
"When we talk about health equity, we also talk about who has access to resources," said Mike Geeslin, president and CEO of Central Health.
The strategic plan "identified significant gaps in care that exist," said Dr. Charles Bell, chair of Central Health's board. "We need to do something to eliminate those gaps."
The two centers, which are expected to open in 2023, will replace and expand existing services in Hornsby Bend and Del Valle. Central Health has one other permanent center, the Southeast Health & Wellness Center on Montopolis Drive, which it opened in 2016.
Central Health, which voters approved in 2004, manages the Medical Access Program in Travis County to provide health care for people at or below the federal poverty level and other programs for people at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
It serves about 147,000 people with more than 500,000 clinic visits a year, which has grown 6% in the past year
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Most of that care is done at 167 clinics run by federally qualified health centers such as CommUnityCare, Lone Star Circle of Care and People's Community Clinic. CommUnityCare will operate the primary care clinics at the new Central Health centers and lease space from Central Health.
When the Central Health centers open, "this is just a part of the larger, comprehensive system," Bell said. "Our plan will strengthen the impact of high-quality health and wellness services on the most marginalized."
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Hornsby Bend center
The Hornsby Bend Health & Wellness Center will replace a modular building Central Health opened in 2020. Ground will be broken on the 7,800-square-foot space at 3700 Gilbert Road near FM 969 and Texas 130 with a public celebration Saturday.
The center will open next spring and is estimated to be a $5 million project.
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It will have a primary care clinic as well as integrated behavioral health specialists, dental assessments, space for telehealth visits from specialists, a community garden, community gathering spaces and a play area.
Central Health estimates that 12,700 people live in the unincorporated area of Hornsby Bend, and 21.4% of the area's residents are at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, compared with 13.8% for all of Travis County. The federal poverty level is $27,180 for an individual and $55,500 for a family of four.
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Del Valle center
The second center in Del Valle will replace one that operates out of the Travis County Employee Wellness Center. It will be 18,900 square feet at 7050 Elroy Road, just east of Texas 130 and north of Circuit of the Americas. The groundbreaking will be April 2.
The Del Valle Health & Wellness Center will open in summer 2023 and has an estimated cost of just over $10 million.
That center will have a primary care clinic as well as dental care, mental health care and a retail pharmacy.
About 21,600 people live in unincorporated Del Valle. About 35.6% are below 200% of the poverty level.
The projects are being funded by Central Health reserves that have been set aside by its board in recent years.
Central Health is funded by property taxes. For the 2021-22 fiscal year, which began in October, homeowners will pay 11.1814 cents per $100 property valuation. It shows up on their property tax bill as Travis County Healthcare District.
A third center is being planned to replace the Northeast Health Resource Center and Mobile Health Clinic in the Colony Park neighborhood. Central Health is seeking community input from neighbors before planning that center.
More than just a health center
Each center is being built based on feedback about what that community wanted as well as what wasn't readily available, Geeslin said.
"We're taking what we've learned to better serve the community," as well as looking at it through a health equity lens, he said. "This gives us the building blocks to amp it up and take it to the next level."
These centers also will have space for Central Health employees to connect the community to resources from local nonprofits and other government programs.
In Hornsby Bend, there aren't many nonprofits operating, said Elizabeth Marrero, Central Health's senior director of community health and wellness initiatives. "It will be a place where we can connect them," she said.
Flex office space will allow nonprofits to come into Hornsby Bend to help provide services to the area.
"Every community looks different," Marrero said. In Hornsby Bend, residents' feedback let Central Health know that they didn't have access to food banks. It is creating a community garden but also hoping to bring a food bank service to the center. The community also didn't have a convenient playground that wasn't attached to a school. One will be built at the center.
In Del Valle, residents let Central Health know that they didn't have a convenient pharmacy nearby. That center will have a drive-thru pharmacy.
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Central Health family-friendly groundbreakings
Hornsby Bend
10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday
Dailey Middle School soccer field, 1500 Westall St.
Del Valle
10 a.m.-1 p.m. April 2
7050 Elroy Road, near Popham Elementary School
More information: centralhealth.net