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AAACAP offers first Spanish language wellness course in Caldwell Co.
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Outreach, Training
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The Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area (AAACAP), a CAPCOG division, is conducting its first Spanish language health and wellness program for older adults in Caldwell County, when volunteer instructors will lead the eight-week Matter of Balance program starting in September. AAACAP hopes it will be one of many evidence-based intervention programs offered in another language throughout the region.

“It is important to equip people with valuable skills on how to better age in place in a manner in which they are most comfortable and can most affectively understand,” said Rhonda Thompson, AAACAP health and wellness coordinator. “We are thrilled to have leaders willing to coach the program in Spanish in Caldwell County where there is a high population of Spanish speakers.”

While AAACAP staff leads some evidence-based intervention programs, volunteers help extend programing throughout the region. AAACAP trains volunteers how to lead a program they want to bring to their community and provides them with the materials for each program’s participants. Programs offered by AAACAP include – A Matter of Balance, a fall prevention program; Living a Healthy life with Chronic Conditions or Diabetes; and Building Better Caregivers.

Currently, there are fluent Spanish speaking leaders in the Caldwell and Williamson counties and American Sign Language (ASL) speakers in the Austin and San Marcos area — the health and wellness program hopes to offer the A Matter of Balance program to the ASL community soon. If any residents are interested in becoming a volunteer leader to help older adults live healthier lives, they can contact Thompson at rthompson@capcog.org about participating in the next leader training.

Get more information about evidence-based intervention programs.

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CAPCOG leads emergency alerts talk at state conference
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Articles
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CAPCOG Homeland Security Director, Martin Ritchey, delivered a presentation about best practices for using emergency notification systems, how to overcome challenges with messaging, and the risks of ineffective messages to emergency managers from across the state during June’s Texas Emergency Management Conference. The presentation provided the opportunity to share CAPCOG’s expertise on emergency notifications while learning from others’ experiences.

“CAPCOG and its regional partners strive for the highest capabilities possible in our regional notification system,” said Ritchey. “It is critical that emergency managers know how to rapidly craft and distribute accurate, timely and actionable information to the right stakeholders, partners and the general public. By sharing what CAPCOG has learned with emergency management personnel, we hope to help better protect our neighbors state- and region-wide.”

CAPCOG’s regional notification system can reach about 66 percent of the region’s residents, which is one of the highest percentages of contacts for such a system in the nation. Common issues for reaching people can be complaints about a lack of warnings or being warned too late, confusion over the message, limited capacity of the message sender, or inability to reach persons due to language or other barriers. Ritchey’s presentation addressed the cause and effect of failed messaging and suggested ways to improve the effectiveness.

Learn more about the CAPCOG Homeland Security Division.

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CAPCOG recommends criminal justice grants, OOG to announce in September
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Grants
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CAPCOG recommended 42 criminal justice projects for funding recommending projects beyond the state’s regional budget estimates for the five program areas of which it assists the Office of the Governor (OOG) in selecting awards for Plan Year (PY) 2024. The OOG should send funding award notices in late September with CAPCOG’s PY 2025 application process starting at about the same time.

For PY 2024, CAPCOG reviewed and prioritized 54 project applications requesting about $15.6 million; the state’s regional budget estimate for the funding opportunities was about $10.7 million. If the state follows CAPCOG’s recommendations and its budget estimate, 27 projects would be funded. The OOG has funded more and less projects than its budget estimate in previous years. The General Victims Assistance program was the region’s most sought-after funding opportunity consisting of 20 applications, making up 37 percent of all applications and 68 percent of the requested funding. The Truancy Prevention program was the region’s only under prescribed program for the year with three qualifying grant applications seeking $813,000 of the $1.5 million regional budget estimate.

CAPCOG’s Criminal Justice Advisory Committee reviewed each application and heard presentations from applicants to score and rank them based on the CAPCOG’s funding priorities and scoring criteria. The CAPCOG Executive Committee then finalized the prioritized project recommendation lists before they were submitted to the OOG. The OOG will ultimately determine which applicants will receive funding.

Review CAPCOG’s prioritized recommendations.
Read more about the CAPCOG Criminal Justice Process.

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Aging Area plan receives abundance of community input
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Outreach, Planning
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The Area Agency of Aging of the Capital Area, a CAPCOG division, is drafting its 2024-26 Area Plan after receiving an outstanding number of input from stakeholder meetings held in each county and online surveying done throughout May. The plan, which should be finalized in July, will be significantly more reflective of the region’s aging services needs because of the input.

“Community engagement and participation is key when developing a plan, so it can truly impact the lives of those it supports,” said Patty Bordie, AAACAP director. “We are thrilled with this unprecedented level of community input; it lets us know we are heading in the right direction with our services and supports for older adults and their caregivers.” To date, more than 400 people from all ten counties provided input that will help determine the plan’s priorities.

The area plan ensures, AAACAP is meeting required aspects of service delivery outlined in the Older Americans Act. It acts as a blueprint for service delivery priorities, based on assessment of needs as a result of the community input and demographic and socio-economic data compiled and analyzed by CAPCOG’s Regional Planning and Services Division. In addition, area partners and providers can use the plan to demonstrate additional funding needs to help build capacity to serve older adults and family caregivers in the region. When completed, the plan will be available at aaacap.org.

Find an service or support for older adults.
Learn more about AAACAP.

CAPCOG seeks solid waste project applications
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Grants
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CAPCOG has issued a call for solid waste projects to local governments in the 10-county region that seeks to fund about $60,000 worth of equipment or community collection events. The deadline to apply for the solid waste funding is June 16, 2023; applications should request between $10,000 and $25,000 per project and will need to be spent before the end of the biennium.

Every biennium, CAPCOG seeks to maximize the effectiveness of the region’s solid waste funding from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality by allocating as much as possible to local projects that support CAPCOG’s Regional Solid Waste Management Plan. This call for projects funding opportunity will spend savings realized from organizational changes to the CAPCOG Solid Waste Program and unspent funds from previously awarded solid waste projects completed under budget. Previous projects funded during the biennium included collection events in Llano, Lee, and Caldwell counties as well as Granite Shoals and Creedmoor; and household hazardous waste collections events in Burnet and Blanco counties as well as Buda. Other projects included improvements to collection stations in Fayette County and Pflugerville and purchasing equipment for Blanco County.

Get more information about the call for projects and learn how to apply.

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21 become peace officers, graduate from RLEA
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Recognition, Training
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The CAPCOG Regional Law Enforcement Academy graduated 21 cadets who all passed their Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Basic Peace Officer Exam on their first attempt. The cadets completed almost 1,100 training hours during the course that started in November 2022 and ended Friday, June 2, 2023.

“These graduating cadets, now peace officers, worked hard to succeed in this 7-month course that went beyond the basics of being a peace officer to teach them how to be a community leader in uniform,” said David Bertling, CAPCOG RLEA director.

Cadets graduating from Basic Peace Officer Course (BPOC) No. 98 will work for Elgin, Kyle, Manor, San Marcos, Jonestown, Taylor, Marble Falls, and Bee Cave police departments; Travis County Constable’s Office Precinct No. 4; and Caldwell and Bastrop county sheriffs’ offices.

“This is not a job, it a calling,” said Jeffrey Yarbrough, Hutto police chief, to the RLEA graduates. “Never forget you are a peace officer, and to love your family. … Today as you go forth let’s show this great state that we are the best of the best. To many, you are going to be their real-life hero.”

The 21 cadets will be joined by cadets from Basic Peace Officer Course No. 97 in August. CAPCOG is starting its next two BPOCs — a part-time, night course at Hutto Police Department with 18 current enrollees on June 12; and a full-time course at CAPCOG with 33 current enrollees on July 31.

Get more information about BPOCs.

Graduating cadets included:

  • Jonathan Taylor – Valedictorian
  • Joseph Vargas – Salutatorian
  • Jacob Wright – Top Gun Award
  • Jaciel Cortina – Class President
  • Wesley Nutt – Vice President
  • Michelle Roman – Treasurer
  • Derek Teuscher – Sgt. at Arms
  • Grethel Argueta
  • Austin Arroyo
  • Joshua Banet
  • Michael Bedsole
  • Jason Bollinger
  • Kyle Large
  • Derek Maciejeski
  • Logan Miller
  • Garrett Miller
  • Pedro Montoya
  • David Silvas
  • Brice Tippie
  • Daniel Watts
  • Monica Wright
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AAACAP conducts needs survey for 2024-26 area plan
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Outreach, Planning
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The Area Agency on Aging of the Capital Area (AAACAP), a division of CAPCOG, is conducting a community needs survey for input on what matters most to older adults and caregivers who live in the 10-county region and to develop the 2024-26 Area Plan for Aging Services. Survey responses should be submitted by 5 p.m. May 19.

Responses will help guide the plan in determining AAACAP programs and services.

The survey is available online in English and Spanish. It can also be downloaded, and AAACAP is offering hard copies to community members and partner organizations to distribute at events. All requested surveys include a self-addressed, stamped envelope for return. Request copies of the survey by contact Siena Lindemann, AAACAP assistant director, with the number of copies needed, whether they should be in English/Spanish, and the date needed. Request should be made a minimum of three business days for delivery.

Downloaded surveys can be returned to CAPCOG at 6800 Burleson Road, Building 310, Suite 165, Austin Tx 78744 or emailed to aaainfo@capcog.org.

Take the Survey in English.

tomar la encuesta en español

Get the English Survey

obtener la encuesta en español

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CAPCOG recommends SHSP grant projects to OOG
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Grants
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The CAPCOG Executive Committee reviewed and recommended 22 projects seeking State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) grant funding for the Office of the Governor (OOG) at its regular March meeting. CAPCOG has estimated regional projects could receive about $900,000, based on historical funding trends, meaning seven of the projects could be funded once the OOG makes the final project selection. Award notices could be received in June.

The CAPCOG Homeland Security Task Force and its subcommittees, comprised of subject matter experts from throughout the region, initially reviewed and prioritized the SHSP project applications based on planning work earlier in the year; however, project prioritization was adjusted to account for new state and federal requirements released after their initial prioritization. Projects that were prioritized slightly lower because of the requirement changes included hazmat and radiological equipment projects. Projects that received the highest priority were related to homeland security planning and training, hazmat equipment, and community emergency response teams.

Throughout the year, CAPCOG will continue to work with the OOG to fund as many projects as possible, especially if savings are realized from higher prioritized projects.

Read more about the SHSP Process.
Review the SHSP Project Prioritization List.

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March blows in region’s Ozone season
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Outreach
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Public education and outreach efforts are underway for this year’s Ozone Season which started in March and lasts through October. This is when conditions have the greatest chance of producing harmful ground-level ozone pollution according to CAPCOG’s Air Quality Program staff who oversee these efforts. The region experienced its greatest number of high ozone pollution days in more than a decade during 2022 — 35 unhealthy days for sensitive groups with two of those days being unhealthy for everyone. Comparatively, 2021 had three days that were unhealthy for sensitive groups.

While it’s hard to predict if the ozone season will be better, similar, or worse than last year, local jurisdictions can help spread air quality awareness by sharing AirCentralTexas.org with residents to educate them about air pollution, how to improve air quality, and how to stay informed about pollution levels. They can actively engage with the Air Central Texas campaign by following and sharing social media updates at facebook.com/AirCentralTexas/, instagram.com/aircentraltexas/, and twitter.com/AirCentralTexas. Engagement is especially important before Ozone Action Days — a day when ozone levels are predicted to be unhealthy to residents — so residents can take greater actions to reduce the possible generation of ozone and to protect their health. Ground-level ozone pollution can make it difficult to breathe, aggravate lung disease such as asthma, make lungs more susceptible to infection, cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and more.

Other resources for staying informed include AirNow.gov and tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/forecast_today.html where residents can sign up for daily text or email air quality forecasts.

Learn more about the Air Quality Program.

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CAPCOG offers BPOC in Hutto
Posted on by mason canales Posted in Training
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The CAPCOG Regional Law Enforcement Academy (RLEA) has partnered with the Hutto Police Department to offer an evening basic peace officer course at its facilities in the northeastern part of the region which will make it more accessible to residents in Burnet, Williamson, Lee and Bastrop counties. The 10-month course is anticipated to start in mid-June. CAPCOG is offering BPOC entrance exams for anyone interested in a career in law enforcement as well as local governments’ hired d cadets to enroll in the course.

Since 2018, every academy graduate has passed the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement’s (TCOLE) basic peace officer exam with 98 percent of graduates passing on their first attempt. “This is a great achievement earned by our cadets, but the CAPCOG BPOC focuses on preparing cadets to serve as public safety community partners,” said Sergio Flores, CAPCOG’s chief instructor.

The night-time course allows residents the flexibility to maintain a full-time job while learning to be a licensed peace officer. Classes hours are from 6 to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Graduating cadets earn all the TCOLE certifications needed for obtaining a basic peace officers license as well as other certifications such as OC Spray, ASP Baton and Red Dot Optical.

Independent cadets can find exam times at training.capcog.org/peace-officers/. Local jurisdictions looking to enroll future officers should contact RLEA at bpoc@capcog.org. A full-time, day course is also slated to start in August at CAPCOG.

Register for a BPOC entrance exam.
Call or email to enroll your prospective cadets.

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