Candidates for elected city offices were all asked the same questions by the Bexar County Medical Society and have submitted answers to those questions as shown below.
This information is provided as a service from the Bexar County Medical Society, but is not an endorsement.
BCMS does not make endorsements of any candidates for office nor of elected officials.
Cynthia Brehm
City Council District 8
This information is provided as a service from the Bexar County Medical Society, but is not an endorsement.
BCMS does not make endorsements of any candidates for office nor of elected officials.
Cynthia Brehm
City Council District 8
2017
Mayoral/City Council Candidates
Health
Care Questions
1. Despite affecting everyone
in this community, "community health and wellness" has not been a
big priority at City Hall. "Community health and wellness" had one
third of the ranking that "streets" received in community input via
SpeakUPSanAntonio. Yet it impacts our well being, workforce, economic
development and the prosperity of San Antonio.
What
health-related areas do you think deserve increased attention, priority, and
local resources, and, if elected, how would you elevate the discussion
of these health issues at City Hall and lead effective action to improve health
and healthcare in our community?
Health and wellness is an area San Antonio should focus on. According to the sanantonio.gov website, “[j]ust under1 million adults (71%) in Bexar County are classified as overweight or obese based on their Body Mass Index.” Further, the website goes on to say that “[i]n 2014, 14.2% of Bexar County adults had been diagnosed with diabetes…” There are other areas of concern that require our attention such as: high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke, which all circles back to proper nutrition and exercise. These are not the only areas of concern in Bexar County. Other health issues include teen pregnancy, congenital syphilis, air quality, drug abuse, and tuberculosis just to name a few.
Health and wellness is an area San Antonio should focus on. According to the sanantonio.gov website, “[j]ust under1 million adults (71%) in Bexar County are classified as overweight or obese based on their Body Mass Index.” Further, the website goes on to say that “[i]n 2014, 14.2% of Bexar County adults had been diagnosed with diabetes…” There are other areas of concern that require our attention such as: high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke, which all circles back to proper nutrition and exercise. These are not the only areas of concern in Bexar County. Other health issues include teen pregnancy, congenital syphilis, air quality, drug abuse, and tuberculosis just to name a few.
Educating the
public is critical in creating a change within our community. Adding health
care tables to Town Hall Meetings to where citizens can gather information and get
their blood pressure checked, blood sugar levels, BMI, and nutritional
information resources would be a good start. Creating a team of professionals
that can go to schools and present healthcare issues and answer questions for
students. Starting a mobile RV that will go into blighted or elder neighborhoods
for well checks might be an idea. Dissemination of information in both English
and Spanish will be key factors in educating the public.
2. Bexar County is
the primary source of funding for indigent health care in our area through the
Bexar County Hospital District and University Health System. How would you, if
elected, promote cooperative efforts to increase services and access to care
for the citizens of San Antonio?
This
can be accomplished through community services, education and dissemination of
information in both English and Spanish. See my answer in question 1.
3. The disparity of
health care between our poorest and wealthiest zip codes/districts is quite
striking (Bexar County Health Collaborative 2016 report). How would you, if
elected, reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes for our lower
income communities/citizens?
Eliminating or screening those that abuse the system,
so that those with real needs can get the healthcare he or she requires would
be a great start. There must be a system of checks and balances. Too many
people that are able bodied people are robbing from the disadvantaged to avoid
paying for healthcare to save money. As I mentioned earlier adding a Mobile
Wellness Mobile that would go into the poor neighborhoods to heighten education
and provide simple checkups would be beneficial.
4. San Antonio
has a high incidence of obesity and diabetes mellitus and has been ranked as
high as second in the nation for obesity in recent years. Past city efforts
attempting to improve these rates, such as trying to reduce the prevalence of
sugary drinks in our community, have been met with controversy. What ideas do
you have to reduce the incidence of these chronic health issues?
I like
the idea of adding fitness equipment to parks under a gazebo for easy access.
They have been doing this in California for a number of years and have proven
to be successful, for example they have a fitness center at Venice Beach that
is open to the public. Adding more lighted hiking trails to parks or
neighborhoods would encourage citizens to get out, as well as bike paths.
5. According
to the CDC, child abuse and neglect are serious problems that can have lasting
harmful effects on its victims. The goal in preventing child abuse and neglect
is clear — to stop this violence from happening in the first place. What
local policies, resources and efforts will you support to promote safe, stable,
nurturing relationships and environments for all children and families?
There
are too many infants and children suffering from abuse and worse yet death
because of ignorance. By providing family wellness instruction to go along with
prenatal care we can begin remedying the situation. It needs to be made into a
comprehensive program. It grieves my heart beyond measure to read in the
newspaper that an adult male in his 20’s thought it was okay to take a
14-month-old toddler by the ankles and toss her into the air and watch her
fall. When the child was injured and unresponsive, he shook her and was taken
to the hospital where sadly, she passed away from her injuries. These young
parents need to be taught how to care for a child—what is proper and improper
care. For example, how to support the baby’s neck, what to expect from a
newborn baby, how often to feed, and what to feed, sanitation of bottles, hygiene,
teaching a child to speak and reading to a child, discipline insofar as what is
acceptable and unacceptable according to Child Protective Services. etc.
Lastly, COSA should begin using PSA’s to create a dialogue within the community
about the Baby Moses Law using social media, the City website, billboards, radio,
television, and adding it to all correspondence on envelopes as a message to
the public. I was told that San Antonio has the highest incidence of child
abuse totaling 5000 cases per year, and that is too much.
