At Shalom Austin Jewish Family Service (JFS) we are always striving to provide the best possible care and support to our clients. Over the past year, we’ve heard client feedback about the challenges with our current electronic health records (EHR) system —whether it was difficulty accessing the client portal, issues with billing, or frustrations with communication. We’ve felt those same struggles on our end, too. That’s why we’re excited to announce that we are transitioning to AthenaOne, a new and improved EHR system that will allow us to better serve our clients and continue growing in the future.

What This Means for Our Clients
While we are confident that AthenaOne will make things easier for both clients and our
team, this transition will take some time. During this process, there will be a temporary
gap between systems that may impact some of our services.

Here’s what to expect:
 Limited Availability for New Clients – As we transfer records and set up our new system, we will have a short period where we are unable to bring in new counseling clients from our waitlist. We know this is frustrating, and we
appreciate your patience as we work to make our system more efficient for everyone.
 No Automated Appointment Reminders (April–May) – During the transition period, which will last approximately six to eight weeks, clients will not receive email reminders about appointments. Please make sure appointments are on
your calendar and set up personal reminders in whatever way works best for you.
 Billing & Payment Adjustments – During the transition, we will be invoicing clients weekly via PayPal. Please keep an eye out for these emails and submit payment in a timely manner. If clients need to arrange an alternative payment method or set up a payment plan, please reach out to Ezie Cotler, Behavioral Health Billing Manager, at 512-735-8182.
 Please Pay your Balance! Our billing manager is working hard to contact every client who has a balance on their account before we close out our current system. If you have a balance with us, please respond as soon as possible to calls from JFS. Unpaid balances will impact our ability to continue to serve
you.
 Portal Access Changes – Once we go live with AthenaOne, currently expected at the end of May or early June, clients will receive an invitation to set up a new client portal. This updated system will make it easier to schedule appointments, complete paperwork, and access billing information. We’ll send detailed instructions when it’s time to get started.

Why We’re Making This Change
While change can be disruptive, we believe this transition is a step forward for everyone.

AthenaOne will provide:

✔️A smoother client experience – A more reliable and user-friendly portal for scheduling, paperwork, payment, and communication.

✔️ Better billing and payment processes – Reducing errors and making payments easier to manage.

✔️ More time for care – Less administrative burden on our team means more focus on what matters most—supporting our community’s needs.

We Appreciate Your Patience!
We know that transitions like this come with growing pains, and we appreciate your patience as we navigate this change together. Our team is here to support you, and we will provide updates along the way. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 512-250-1043 or [email protected]. Thank you for being part of our JFS community. We are excited for what’s ahead and can’t wait to serve you even better in the future!

Stay tuned for more updates as we move forward with this transition!

Warmly,

Emma Howitt, LPC-S, LCDC
Senior Social Services Director
Shalom Austin Jewish Family Service

Rabbi Amy Cohen, LMSW
JFS Executive Director
Shalom Austin Chief Social Services Officer
A Branch of Shalom Austin
7300 Hart Lane
Austin, TX. 78731
Phone: (512)250-1043 Fax: (512)257-7179
Email: [email protected]

A Branch of Shalom Austin
7300 Hart Lane
Austin, TX. 78731
Phone: (512)250-1043 Fax: (512)257-7179
Email: [email protected]