San Antonio, Texas, a city of more than 1.5 million residents with a vibrant cultural heritage, will host APHA’s Annual Meeting and Expo this fall. When 11,000 public professionals come together there Nov. 1-4  for APHA 2026, they will be met with iconic landmarks, a rich culinary scene and a long history of public health activism, advocacy and achievements. 

Among those welcoming APHA to the city will be Claude Jacob, DrPH, MPH, director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. A 30-year APHA member who serves on APHA’s Executive Board, Jacob promises visitors will connect both to the city and its work on public health.

How does it feel for San Antonio to be hosting the APHA meeting this year?

This is the first time in more than four decades that the Annual Meeting is being held in Texas, so we are over the moon. We cannot wait to welcome members to San Antonio this fall.

First-time attendees will be pleasantly surprised. The fall weather will be comfortable, and what people appreciate most are the residents and the strong sense of community. There is always something happening, from Fiesta each spring to the holiday lights along the River Walk in winter. Visitors can see the Alamo, spend time at the Pearl and explore our food and shopping districts. There is plenty to do, and attendees will have a ball.

Public health is a priority in San Antonio. What are some of your main focus areas?

Like Texas' large urban areas, such as Austin, Houston and Dallas, we face the same burdens. Access to care is a top priority, and we have invested substantially in mental health. 

We are strengthening prevention messaging around chronic disease and focusing on injury and violence prevention. Given our experience with the (COVID-19) pandemic, we also pay close attention to outbreaks and surveillance, whether for measles or other threats.

San Antonio’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability has rolled out a heat resilience plan. How is the city protecting residents from extreme heat?

Heat is one of the most significant climate-related health threats facing our community. San Antonio has taken a proactive approach through the Heat Resilience Playbook, which involves many city departments. It includes strategies for public education, urban planning, emergency response, cooling resources and long-term climate adaptation. 

We have also strengthened our heat-related illness and mortality surveillance. We are intentional about cooling centers and about messaging in English, Spanish and other languages so vulnerable residents can reduce their exposure. Climate change is real.

Tell me about the city's SA Forward strategic plan for health equity.

What we learned during the pandemic was that the burden of COVID-19 was uneven across the city, a sad legacy of redlining that fell hardest on the east, west and south sides. In spring 2022 we rolled out SA Forward, a multi-year community blueprint to address those conditions. It allowed us to reallocate resources and deploy pop-up clinics and vaccination sites in underserved parts of the city. 

We leveraged federal grants and our general fund to codify priorities around mental health, violence, food insecurity and access to care. By design, our goal is systems-level change that addresses root causes and improves outcomes for future generations, with residents as active partners.

You also have an Office of Mental Health and Community Resilience. Why was it created, and what does the work encompass?

We established the office at the height of the pandemic, and it reflects our commitment to treating mental health as a public health issue. It works to expand access to behavioral health resources, reduce stigma, promote trauma-informed care and strengthen community resilience, coordinating across health care providers, schools, community organizations and first responders. 

One of our signature initiatives is the San Antonio Community Outreach and Resiliency Effort, or SA CORE. It is a crisis response program that pairs a police officer, a paramedic and a licensed clinician to respond to behavioral health emergencies. It helps de-escalate crises, connect residents to services and reduce unnecessary arrests and hospitalizations.

Partnerships are important in public health. What are some of yours?

In our line of work, this is a team sport. We work closely with academic institutions such as the University of Texas at San Antonio to support research, workforce development and innovation. 

We also partner with area hospitals, federally qualified health centers, school districts, faith-based organizations, nonprofits and business leaders across the region. Regionally, we work with neighboring jurisdictions and state agencies to coordinate responses during emergencies, especially extreme weather. 

By design, we work to be a good partner to those who protect the public.

APHA 2026’s theme is "Together We Thrive: Health Across the Lifespan." What do you hope visitors take away from how San Antonio approaches public health?

San Antonio is a city where innovation, culture and community come together. Visitors will see how public health, health care, community organizations and local government address complex challenges together, and they will experience a city that values equity, inclusion and community engagement. 

This is a city more than 300 years old, where most residents are of Hispanic or Latino descent. I encourage guests to explore downtown, our neighborhoods and cultural institutions, and the history that shaped our community.

Learn more about the city through Visit San Antonio. Register for APHA 2026 by Sept. 15 before rates increase. 

This interview was edited for length, clarity and style. Caption: San Antonio's River Walk is a favorite attraction. Photo courtesy Visit San Antonio.