When Jennifer Bittner moved to the Austin area in June 2023, she feared her family would need to make frequent, hours-long trips to Houston to access specialized care for her children.

A closer look: Bittner, who has three medically complex children, said specialty services were still expanding when her family first settled into the area. Today, Bittner’s family makes just two trips to Houston each year for care related to her sons’ rare disease.

Both boys receive regular care at Austin’s Texas Children’s Hospital while her daughter receives care at Dell Children’s Medical Center in Central Austin. For families like the Bittners, the opening of new hospitals in the Austin metro has expanded access to specialized programs much closer to home.

By the numbers: Between 2017 and 2024, Williamson County’s child population increased by 19.2%, or 26,034.

As one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country, Austin and its northern suburbs have seen a rapid increase in the need for pediatric specialties. In 2020, then-President of Dell Children’s Medical Center Christopher Born said that more than 5,500 children in Central Texas had traveled outside the region for complex care since 2009.

In August, Los Reyes Mexican Restaurant will celebrate its 20-year anniversary in Cedar Park, owners Aracelia and Michael Nambo said.

What’s on the menu: Los Reyes serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, all rooted in traditional Mexican cooking, the Nambos said. Popular dishes include tacos, enchiladas and the restaurant’s signature carne asada plate.

“All the cooking [is] my own recipes, and I try to keep it simple,” Michael Nambo said. “I want people to taste the natural ingredients.”

Meet the owners: The Nambos’ goal is to make every customer feel like family. The combination of good food, friendly service and a welcoming atmosphere has helped cultivate strong relationships with regular customers over the years.

“We’re just trying to provide a way for people to connect,” Aracelia Nambo said.

One more thing: The owners of Los Reyes are planning a 20-year anniversary celebration Aug. 7. The party will include live mariachi music, discounted drinks and “throwback prices,” meaning dishes will cost the same amount they did when the restaurant first opened in 2006, the owners said.

Austin's summer heat can affect mental health, particularly for people managing conditions like schizophrenia, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or bipolar disorder, according to Ziyad Nuwayhid, chief medical officer at Integral Care, Travis County's mental health authority.

The impact: Nuwayhid said mental illness can impair temperature perception, and some psychiatric medications reduce the body's ability to stay hydrated.

A 2026 study by UT Austin researchers and the city found 85% of Austin single-family homes pose significant heat risk for elderly residents during a heatwave combined with a power outage.

Keep in mind: All Austin Public Library branches and Austin Parks and Recreation facilities serve as cooling centers during normal operating hours, according to Austin Emergency Management.

Travis County community centers are open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. CapMetro offers complimentary rides to cooling centers when cooling hours are extended for those who cannot afford fare, according to the city.

Integral Care operates a 24-hour crisis hotline for mental health support and cooling shelter referrals.