During a Thursday budget workshop, Bexar County’s budget office presented a stark proposal: slash the public‑health department’s annual budget to $984,000 and trim its workforce from 27 positions to just 12. The recommendation comes as the county prepares for the expiration of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and faces a broader fiscal squeeze.
Background and current request
Created in 2022 to address health inequities highlighted by the COVID‑19 pandemic, the department has grown to include programs aimed at domestic‑abuse victims, elder‑abuse prevention, and behavioral health. Department director Andrea Guerrero asked commissioners to preserve a $2 million budget and retain 27 staff members to keep those services fully operational.
Budget office’s recommendation
The budget staff’s analysis suggested a much smaller footprint. Their plan would allocate just $984,000 and cut staff to 12 positions, eliminating several administrative and coordination roles and halving the number of domestic‑violence case managers. The office noted that the Safety Team Active Response (STAR) program currently employs more staff than comparable programs in similarly sized cities, despite serving fewer residents.
Commissioners’ reactions
Commissioner Grant Moody (Precinct 3) suggested partnering with University Health’s Institute for Public Health to fill gaps left by the proposed cuts. Commissioner Rebeca Clay‑Flores (Precinct 1) voiced concern over the loss of preventative services, asking, “What have you done for diabetes? San Antonio leads the nation in amputations, so there are many issues we must address.”
Judge Peter Sakai, Bexar County’s chief executive, praised the department’s achievements since its inception but warned that the public‑health agency is one of the county’s largest “big‑ticket” expenses at a time of tight finances. “Everybody was told there would be a day of reckoning in 2026 when ARPA money runs out, and here we are,” Sakai said, adding that some entities will inevitably win while others lose.
Potential impact on services
Guerrero argued that even a modest reduction would jeopardize the STAR program’s ability to respond to domestic‑violence cases. “We’ve had seven domestic‑violence homicides this year, compared with nine total last year,” she said. “A small reduction would be essential to handle the volume.”
The department also runs the Senior Justice Assessment Center (SJAC), which works to prevent and intervene in elder‑abuse cases, and offers behavioral‑health programs. While the budget office believes core programs could survive the cuts, it acknowledges that many support roles and half of the domestic‑violence case‑manager positions would be eliminated.
Unfilled positions and unanswered questions
Two positions—dietician and nutrition specialist—have remained vacant since the department’s original budget. Guerrero noted that the fate of these roles remains unclear under the proposed budget scenario.
Looking ahead
The commissioners will consider the budget office’s recommendation alongside Guerrero’s request and community input before making a final decision. The outcome will shape how Bexar County addresses public‑health challenges, from domestic‑violence response to elder‑abuse prevention, in the coming fiscal year.
Original reporting: San Antonio Report — read the source article.
