FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2025
Media Contact: Corie Lonidier, co***@***************tx.org

One Voice Central Texas Opposes Ten Percent Cut to Austin Public Health Social Service Contracts

AUSTIN, Texas

One Voice Central Texas (OVCT) is a coalition of more than eighty nonprofit health and human service organization Executive Directors and leaders. OVCT is dedicated to empowering and supporting health and human services nonprofit executive leaders by providing the resources, advocacy, and collaborative opportunities necessary for their organizations to effectively serve their communities.

• Austin Public Health (APH) social service contracts support critical community services such as community based mental health services, food access, early childhood intervention, prenatal care and education, domestic violence prevention, HIV/STI testing and treatment, sickle cell navigation, child development support, school-based mentoring, adult education, teen parent services, immigrant services, arts programming, leadership development and much more. These contracts support thousands of individuals each month, and demand only continues to grow as Austin’s population increases and economic uncertainty persists.
• In 2025, the social service sector faced significant Federal funding cuts, an increased demand for services, and reductions in corporate and individual giving. This is already having a detrimental effect on public health and human services. This year alone, 41% of nonprofits surveyed reported reduced Federal Funding, 35% had to reduce the number of clients they are able to serve, 33% report reducing their services, and 28% report having to lay off staff members. Further cuts to funding for recovery, peer support, and bridge housing will only exacerbate the issues facing our city’s most vulnerable individuals.
• Social service contractors are held to a high standard of reporting, so the sector consistently demonstrates accountability and their value in the community.
• It is unclear whether the City has analyzed the potential impact of cutting social services at a time when there is increased demand and cuts from Federal/other sources. A ten percent reduction in these social service contracts will only hurt our community by limiting access to preventive services and ongoing case management.

Austin Public Health and the local health and human services nonprofits are the City’s safety net. Any further erosion will create significant holes in our community’s prevention and intervention infrastructure. We urge the City to reconsider the proposed ten percent reduction, and to instead commit to sustained or increased funding for social service contracts.

One Voice Central Texas