Happy Spring. I’m writing to give you an update on your investment in Integral Care’s Terrace at Oak Springs.
Here’s how Integral Care’s mental health and housing teams have made an impact over the past three months of 2021:
- Residents of Terrace at Oak Springs have created a resident council which will allow residents to participate in community decision-making. This council will provide a forum for all residents to share their opinions, make their voices heard, and vote on measures that impact them and their community.
- As of February 5th, 911 callers with mental health emergencies are immediately directed to one of our clinicians. Austin is the first city in the country to change their opening prompt to allow 911 callers to choose either police, fire, EMS, or mental health services.
- With the support of Downtown Austin Alliance and Downtown Austin Community Court (DACC), Integral Care has launched a new specialty intensive integrated treatment team that will serve individuals experiencing homelessness and connect them to the care they need. Referrals will come from the Homeless Outreach Street Team (HOST) and DACC. This team will be based out of the 3000 Oak Springs Clinic, which will serve as will serve as the centralized health care hub for this population. As of this week, two staff members have been hired to support this work, and our team has begun to identify potential referrals.
In anticipation of the cold weather hitting mid-February, we launched a Winter Care Package and Amazon Charity List to help our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Of course, none of us knew how devastating the storm would be, nor could we have predicted its impact on all Texans’ lives.
When we slowly started coming back to work, we discovered hundreds of boxes had been delivered from all over the country to help all our clients. We regularly update our wish list, and the boxes continue to arrive. Restaurants generously fed our city and donated meals to Terrace at Oak Springs. We are inspired by the dedication, strength, perseverance, and compassion displayed across the community. Together, we helped adults and children across Travis County maintain health and well-being during this historic winter storm.