DFW Hospital Council President/CEO W. Stephen Love was in Austin yesterday for the State of Reform 2019 Texas Health Policy Conference at AT&T Hotel on the campus of the University of Texas. Love moderated the morning panel discussion “Intersection of Behavioral Health and Homelessness.”

Panel members included Larry James, executive director of CitySquare; Kevin Denmark, Texas state director of Beacon Health Options; and Christina Mintner, vice president and project director of HOMES at Parkland Health & Hospital System.

The discussion detailed the rising numbers of homelessness in the country, with an emphasis on the lack of connection to proper behavioral and physical health systems.

State of Reform works to break down the silos of health care to bridge the gap between health care and health policy. This was the third straight year the conference was held in Austin, with 350-plus attendees and 70 speakers participating.