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San Antonio presenters warn Healthy Neighborhoods program faces deep funding and staff cuts
Summary
Metro Health staff told the Health Committee the Healthy Neighborhoods program faces large Medicaid waiver reductions and staff losses that could shrink services; councilmembers asked for detailed budget breakdowns and scenarios for sustaining the program.
Metro Health officials told the San Antonio Health Committee that the city’s Healthy Neighborhoods (Barrios Saludables) initiative faces substantial funding and staffing losses that could reduce services across neighborhoods.
Dr. Claude Jacob, who opened the presentation, said the program faces a looming reduction in funds tied to Medicaid waiver changes that “va a ser la aproximadamente 8,000,000 de dólares que se van a perder en septiembre del 2026.” Presenters also said program staffing would fall, describing a drop “de 23 a 16” positions that includes much of the program’s leadership.
The presentation outlined the program model — community connectors, neighborhood-based interventions, school and garden partnerships, and a resource center at Villa Coronado — and listed recent service metrics cited by staff: 1,087 children enrolled in certain centers, roughly 17,160 residents served over the last year, and more than 19,000 transactions through corner-store incentive programs. Presenters attributed the figures to internal program tracking and to activities at the Villa Coronado resource center.
Councilmembers pressed staff on allocation choices and next steps. Concejal White asked, “¿Por qué se eligió los barrios?” and officials said neighborhood selection was based on historic results and community readiness; they added that expansion depends on securing additional funds. Councilmembers also requested a clearer breakdown showing how much of program funding is administrative versus direct service.
In response to questions about the future of services, presenters outlined three scenarios for sustaining activity and said they were pursuing alignment with other city initiatives and outside partners.
The committee did not take formal action during the meeting; councilmembers asked staff to return with a detailed budget breakdown and options for sustaining essential components of the Healthy Neighborhoods program.
What’s next: staff will provide requested budget details and scenarios to the committee so members can evaluate options ahead of upcoming fiscal decisions.
