Sobering Center

09/21/2026

Welcome to the Board of Directors, Commissioner Morales!

George Morales III was born and raised in the Dove Springs Community. Having served 26 years in law enforcement and three terms as the elected Constable of Precinct 4, the community named him the “People’s Constable”. On May 26, 2026, he won the election of Travis County Commissioner Precinct 4 and was appointed on June 16, 2026.

Commissioner Morales has received:

• The Presidential Community Service Award three times and one Gold Award from
President Obama.

• The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) Achievement Award for Public
Service in 2018 and 2021. This was the first time a Constable has been honored with
this award.

• The National American Federation of State, County, and Municipal
Employees (AFSCME) presented Constable Morales with their 2019 “Never Quit
Service Award” for community service.

• The Travis County Youth Advocate Community Service Award, the City of Austin
Distinguished Service Award, the Central Texas Justices of the Peace and Constables
Association Deputy of the Year, and other law enforcement honors.

• His latest honor, and his proudest, is having his name added to the local recreation
center, “The George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center”.

Commissioner Morales graduated from Johnston High School and Huston-Tillotson
University, Summa Cum Laude.
He and his wife of 34 years, Maria Cristina, along with their two youngest
children, Johnny and Marissa, live in Dove Springs and attend Guadalupe Catholic Church.

Commissioner Morales’ mission has always been: “Educate, Motivate and Inspire!” the community we serve.

09/18/2026

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/suspected-overdoses-in-downtown-austin-push-public-health-leaders-to-boost-resources/

Data shows overdoses are dropping around Travis County, but leaders say there’s room to better save lives.

09/15/2026

Every system has an edge. The space between what exists and what is possible. That’s where you’ll find us—the Sobering Center was built in this space and built for this work.

We are ready to join the Central Health team in finding another way. Stay tuned for more detail!

09/14/2026

Our new Medical Director, Dr. Joseph Martin, is committed to the education and support of our team, and we love to see it!

09/11/2026

The "Gateway to the Future of Sobering Care" is OPEN!

Registration for the in St. Louis, MO is now open. Join us October 7-9, 2026, as we gather together to celebrate and discuss all things .

Register today to take advantage of the Early Bird registration benefits! For more details on registration costs, conference location, and opportunities, visit the Summit webpage at https://nationalsobering.org/summit/

09/10/2026

LOVE NOTE ALERT!

08/31/2026

The 2nd floor started as an idea from our leadership team. We saw a need in the community and did our best to find a way to meet it.
We repurposed our stimulant dorm and held the program together with frozen meals, creativity, and the magic that is our incredible staff. Now, our clients get to enjoy natural light, a dedicated group room, and a space separate from the happenings of the first floor.
Kenneth and Marcus were the first two clients to stay upstairs, and they insisted we document the occasion!
We’re wishing these two gentlemen the very best of luck as they head to treatment in the next 48 hours. We’re so grateful to be a part of their journey and honored to support them along the way. 🧡

08/26/2026

Representing Travis County Judge Andy Brown ex-officio on our Board of Directors, we welcome Cherise Burdeen!

After earning a bachelor’s in public administration from Miami University (Ohio) and a master’s in criminal justice from Indiana University, she began her career with the DOJ's National Institute of Justice. After fieldwork that included time with the Safer Foundation in Chicago and post-9/11 federal service with the Department of Homeland Security, Cherise spent fifteen years with the Pretrial Justice Institute (PJI), an organization responsible for putting pretrial injustice on system leaders' agenda.

Cherise has been recognized for her innovative strategies to raise awareness, amass a broad constituency of stakeholder groups, provide technical assistance and training on policy reforms, and engage in communications efforts. She has extensive experience with strategic planning, initiative management, and designing change efforts.

Late in her tenure at PJI, she began investigating bias in the data used to create pretrial risk assessment instruments and community supervision matrices. This led to a shift in long-held policy positions and, ultimately, a decision to leave PJI to allow it to advance its own future. Cherise then served as Vice President for Operations at the National Legal Aid and Defender Association while attending National Louis University to pursue a PhD in Community Psychology.

Her research focused on the relationship between social-emotional functioning, cultural competence, and client-centeredness in public defense. Her commitments are advancing laws and policies that center equity, belonging, and well-being; operationalizing the vision of those closest to the problems; and unlearning our othering culture. She began serving as the County Executive for Innovative Justice and Program Analysis with Travis County (TX) in the summer of 2026.

08/20/2026

ROCKSTAR OF THE QUARTER!

Written by his peers…Jayce got awarded Rockstar of the Quarter in his first 90 days!

Jayce's ability to connect with patients, passion to learn, create, his initiative and connection to the mission is outstanding. He taught Motivational Interviewing training within in his first 90 days in a way that landed incredibly with staff. He is receptive to feedback and eager to learn and overall just curious. There are few things more exciting than someone who is curious and excited to learn and teach. Watching him engage with clients is a treat and it is clear that Jayce has such a holistic view of recovery that seeps out into truly patient-centered conversations. We enjoy Jayce as a co-worker, fellow person in recovery, and as a human.

04/07/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17R8h2xmFh/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Remember to register for the upcoming Sobering Care Providers Network call, occurring THIS Friday, April 10, 2026, at 10:00 AM.

You won’t want to miss this presentation by, Ashlyn Branscum, LMSW (Program Manager, Sobering Center Austin), who will provide insights into the newly renovated second floor space at Sobering Center Austin.

Register for the April call today at https://nationalsobering.org/event-april-2026/

Sponsored by Tuerk House