The Houston Chronicle reports that Texans will receive more in health insurance rebates than the residents of any other state.  Health insurance companies were required, under the Affordable Care Act, to reimburse insurance holders for premiums paid if the insurnce company spent less than 80% of their collected premiums on health care.  

According to the article, Texans received a total of $166.9 million in rebates, and $134.2 million of those rebates went to people who purchased individual policies. 

The Austin Housing Repair Coalition has released a new report highlighting the impact  of the $5 million in General Obligation bonds that have been committed to repairing the homes of low-income residents.  From 2009 through 2012, the GO Repair Program will have repaired 320 homes at an average cost of $9,844 per home.

The Austin Housing Repair Coalition promotes collaboration among home repair organizations, social service providers, public agencies and utilities to maximize the impact of funds invested in the homes of the clients served.  The report includes results of a client survey that shows that the repairs helped low-income, often elderly residents, remain in their homes. 

 The World Health Organization reports that children with disabilities are about four times as likely to be victims of violence than other children. The report Prevalence and Risk of Violence Against Children With Disabilities analyzed data from 17 studies world-wide.  According to the report, about 93 million children world-wide have moderate to severe disabilities, and these children are more likely than other children to be victims of violence and sexual assault.

A new report produced by the Hogg Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services concludes that eliminating racial disparities in health outcomes can best be achieved by integrating primary care and behavioral health care and providing these services in a culturally sensitive manner.  The report, Enhancing the Delivery of Health Care: Eliminating Health Disparities through a Culturally & Linguistically Centered Integrated Health Care Approach, examines best practices across the nation and arrives at consensus recommendations by a panel of national experts.

Austin's creative sector accounted for more than $4.35 billion in economic activity in 2010, according to a report by John Hockenyos that was produced for the City of Austin. This sector, which includes music, film, gaming, visual arts, non-profit arts groups, and tourism, provided 48,822 permanent jobs and more than $71 million in City tax revenues. The report includes findings and recommendations for expanding opportunity in the creative sector. 

 Millions of baby boomers will likely face difficulties getting diagnosis and treatment for mental health conditions and substance abuse problems unless a major effort is made to boost the number of health professionals who can provide this care to an aging population, according to a new report by the Institute of Medicine.  The report, The Mental Health and Substance Use Workforce for Older Adults: In Whose Hands?, calls for a redesign of Medicare and Medicaid payment rules to guarantee coverage of counseling, care management, and other services critical for treating mental health conditions and substance abuse problems. 

 The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has declared September "Recovery Month" to promote prevention, treatment and recovery for mental and substance use disorders and to share the message that recovery is possible.In recognition of Recovery Month, Texas Recovers will host a "Big Texas Rally for Recovery" on the South steps of the State Capitol on Saturday, September 15th from 3 - 5 p.m. The event will feature recovery comedian and performer Kutis Matthew. Learn more about the rally at http://www.texasrecovers.org/. Learn more about efforts to promote an Austin Recovery Oriented System of Care Initiative by contacting AustinROSC@gmail.com.

2-1-1 Texas offers free monthly trainings on when to use 2-1-1 Texas and how to search the 2-1-1 Texas database to find information about available community resources. The targeted audience for these trainings is social services professionals and volunteers. Registration for the training sessions, offered the last Friday of each month, is not required.

Training sessions  are held on the last Friday of every month at  2 p.m. at United Way for Greater Austin, 2000 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and last about an hour and a half.  For more information, call 2-1-1 and select option 1 or email Amy Price at amy.price@unitedwaycapitalarea.org.