“A self-sustaining, independent school of public health in South Texas has been a shared vision of UT Health San Antonio and UTSA leadership for some time,” said the president of UT Health San Antonio. dr. William L. Henrich said. “The formation of the University of Texas San Antonio School of Public Health is the result of a close collaboration between two universities in the UT system united around a common mission to create a research-intensive, science-focused school. the community to improve health outcomes, reduce morbidity and mortality, and educate the next generation of public health professionals for our city and region.

“We are extremely grateful to our Bexar County Commissioners for their support and significant investment of $10 million in this collaborative effort to meet the demand for public health education in San Antonio, as well as the needs growing public health needs of South Texas’ diverse population. President of UTSA Taylor Eightmy said. “Both institutions are deeply committed to building on our areas of expertise to ensure that the new School of Public Health becomes a regional leader in preparing the next generation of public health leaders while creating healthier communities.

San Antonio is a predominantly minority city that, with its large and growing Hispanic population, reflects the demographic future of the nation. Many areas of the city and the South Texas region are identified as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) by the United States Health Resources and Services Administration. San Antonio is the largest city in the United States without a school of public health.

Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has produced a strong demand and need for public health education regarding vaccination, mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing. The new school will allow local residents to train in public health professions in order to meet the increasingly emerging health challenges.

“Bexar County is ready for a school of public health, and we are thrilled that ARPA’s support is helping to create it,” the Bexar County judge said. Nelson Wolff said. “The pandemic we have overcome has demonstrated more clearly than ever the need for public health solutions for our population.

Total start-up costs for the School of Public Health are budgeted at approximately $40 million, including renovations to existing buildings, program development, and the recruitment of a nationally recognized dean.

UT Health San Antonio and UTSA Collaborate to Reduce Health Disparities and Train Public Health Professionals

Contact: Will Sansom, UT Health San Antonio, 210-567-2579, [email protected]

Joe Izbrand, UTSA, 210-458-8754, [email protected]

SAN ANTONIO (June 9, 2022) – The Bexar County Court of Commissioners gave preliminary approval on June 7 to award $10 million to UT Health San Antonio and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) for the development of the University of Texas at San Antonio School of Public Health.

The stipend comes from funding from Bexar County’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and will support start-up programmatic, operational, and educational costs, including renovations to existing spaces at UT Health San Antonio and UTSA. A census of nearly 400 students is planned in the first five years, with a master’s degree in public health offered from 2024 and a doctoral program in public health to be developed.

The University of Texas System Board of Regents recognized that the region’s persistent disparities in key health outcomes require a public health approach. In November 2021, the Regents voted to authorize UT Health San Antonio and UTSA to develop a new School of Public Health.

“A self-sustaining, independent school of public health in South Texas has been a shared vision of UT Health San Antonio and UTSA leadership for some time,” said UT Health San Antonio President William L. Henrich, MD, MACP. “The formation of the University of Texas at San Antonio School of Public Health is the result of a close collaboration between two universities in the UT system united around a common mission to create a research-intensive, science-focused school. the community to improve health outcomes, reduce morbidity and mortality, and educate the next generation of public health professionals for our city and region.

“We are extremely grateful to our Bexar County Commissioners for their support and significant investment of $10 million in this collaborative effort to meet the demand for public health education in San Antonio as well as the growing needs in the public health of South Texas’ diverse population,” UTSA President Taylor Eightmy, PhD, said. “Both institutions are deeply committed to building on our areas of expertise to ensure that the new School of Public Health becomes a regional leader in preparing the next generation of public health leaders while creating healthier communities.

San Antonio is a predominantly minority city that, with its large and growing Hispanic population, reflects the demographic future of the nation. Many areas of the city and the South Texas region are identified as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) by the United States Health Resources and Services Administration. San Antonio is the largest city in the United States without a school of public health.

Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has produced a strong demand and need for public health education regarding vaccination, mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing. The new school will allow local residents to train in public health professions in order to meet the increasingly emerging health challenges.

“Bexar County is ready for a school of public health, and we are thrilled that ARPA’s support is helping to create it,” said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. “The pandemic we have overcome has demonstrated more clearly than ever the need for public health solutions for our population.

Total start-up costs for the School of Public Health are budgeted at approximately $40 million, including renovations to existing buildings, program development, and the recruitment of a nationally recognized dean.

The public is invited to visit the School of Public Health at the University of Texas at San Antonio website.

The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) is a key driver of San Antonio’s $42.4 billion healthcare and biosciences sector, the city’s largest economic engine. Generating substantial economic impact with its five professional schools, a diverse workforce of 7,200, an annual operating budget of over $1 billion, and a clinical practice that delivers over 2 million patient visits each year, UT Health San Antonio plans to add more than 1,500 higher-paying jobs over the next five years to serve San Antonio, Bexar County, and southern Texas. UT Health San Antonio is South Texas’ largest research university with an annual research portfolio of approximately $350 million. To learn more about the many ways “We make lives better®”, visit http://www.uthscsa.edu.

Stay connected with the University of Texas San Antonio Health Sciences Center on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, instagram and Youtube.

The University of Texas at San Antonio is a Tier 1 research university and Hispanic service institution specializing in cyber, health, future fundamentals, and socioeconomic transformation. With over 34,000 students, it is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan area. UTSA advances knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement, and public service. The university embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center of intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property – for Texas, the nation, and the world. Learn more on lineon UTSA today Or on Twitter, instagram, Facebook, Youtube Where LinkedIn.

We live in strange and dangerous times. On the one hand, there are growing calls for gender equality and the inclusion of more women in leadership positions at all levels; on the other hand, millions of women around the world are denied access to equal opportunities in education, health care, economic growth and political participation.

The Covid-19 pandemic, now in its third year, has reversed the gains for women made over the past two decades and has made it clear that the impact of crises is never gender neutral. gender. It is no secret that women, due to their overrepresentation in the service sector, lower paid jobs and the informal economy, have suffered greater economic losses than men.

In 2020, it was estimated that globally, women lost more than 64 million jobs, at a cost of US$800 billion in lost earnings for those working in the formal sector. This monumental figure does not take into account the millions of women working in the informal sector, which employs a majority of women in low- and middle-income countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, an estimated 74% of women in non-agricultural jobs are in informal employment.

One of the African Union’s aspirations for the continent, as outlined in its Agenda 2063, is to build an Africa “whose development is people-driven, building on the potential offered by Africans, especially his wives and his young people, and taking care of the children”. Its goals include the achievement of a high standard of living, quality of life and well-being for all, healthy and nourished citizens, and gender equality.

To achieve these goals, however, African countries must adopt a radical change in political, health and economic strategy. What we have done in the past – or what we have not done – is what has brought us here, where maternal mortality rates (200,000 maternal deaths per year), unmet planning needs (about 25% in East Africa), gender inequality and poverty remain among the highest in the world.

We cannot continue to do what we have done in the past and expect different results. So what do we need to do to realize women’s right to health?

First, we must recognize that women’s rights are human rights and must be protected. We must intentionally pursue the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those relating to poverty, education, gender equality, good health and well-being, decent work and economic growth, and the reduction of inequalities.

We must invest in strengthening our health systems to make them resilient and responsive to the needs of all, especially women and children, who suffer most from the gendered impacts of crises. We must push for universal access to health, and that is how health as a right can be realised.

Research shows that accelerating progress on gender equality could boost African economies by 10% by 2025. Therefore, we must step up our efforts to close the gender gap and dismantle the notion according to that men are “born leaders”. Moreover, we must intensify the need for accountability from leaders at all levels. Our leaders have a responsibility to prioritize our health and general well-being at all times.

-Dr. Obudho is East Africa Program Director, WomenLift Health

AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – AT&T has partnered with Community Health Development, Inc. and the OneStar Foundation to launch a text message donation campaign to provide financial support to families in Uvalde.

According to AT&T’s press release, through a direct donation process using your smartphone, donors can contribute $10 to support the Uvalde community, regardless of your wireless service provider. AT&T said the charges will automatically be added to the donor’s wireless bill.

AT&T said to donate by texting Uvalde to 20222 to donate $10 from any mobile device, any mobile carrier, anywhere. The Text-to-Give program is active for all mobile operators nationwide. Those wishing to donate more than $10 can repeat the process as many times as they wish until they reach their desired amount.

“Our hearts and actions are with the people of Uvalde. We encourage others locally and across the country to join AT&T in supporting the community and the families of the victims,” said Leslie Ward, president of AT&T Texas. “The texting program gives them the opportunity to do just that, allowing anyone to make one or more $10 donations from their mobile device, regardless of mobile carrier.”

AT&T and the AT&T Foundation are also contributing $50,000 to the OneStar Foundation to support Robb School, Memorial Fund. Donations will go directly to Community Health Development Inc. AT&T said all funds raised through the campaign will be given to the established recipient; AT&T will pay all administrative fees according to AT&T.

For more information on the SMS donation campaign, visit here.

DANIEL — The Rural Health Development Center was pleased to recently host its annual Appalachian Health Leadership Forum, the first since the pandemic. Rural Healthcare and Public Health Board members and executive leaders came together for two days to reconnect, recharge and be inspired.

“The past two years have been some of the most challenging for our rural health care and public health leaders and boards,” said Sharon Lansdale, president and CEO of the Center for Rural Health Development. “Health disparities arise not only from unequal access to health services, but also from unequal access to economic opportunities, meaningful work, stable families, livable housing, reliable transportation , quality education and thriving communities. Healthier people mean a stronger economy. This forum provided information on how organizations can strengthen their communities and create opportunities. »

The two-day event kicked off Friday morning, May 6, with a presentation by Jamie Orlikoff, President of Orlikoff & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in healthcare governance, leadership, strategy, quality, safety and system development. Orlikoff described the challenges faced by rural health care organizations and their boards. He also presented an effective governance model and strategies to accelerate governance improvement.

Attendees remained engaged during a presentation titled, The Role of Governing and Advisory/Subsidiary Boards in Improving Community Health by Kevin Barnett, D.Ph., MCP, Principal Investigator at the Institute of Health Public and Faculty of the Institute of Governance. Barnett focused on the council’s responsibility for community health and the connection between community health and economic development.

After lunch, Managing Director Brent McDonald and Executive Director Chris Benson of Juniper Advisory engaged attendees with a discussion on What If Trader Joe’s Ran Healthcare Organizations? Balancing scale and culture to succeed. This session offered healthcare leaders lessons learned from other industries on the importance of organizational culture on the bottom line and, more importantly, patient outcomes.

Next, attendees were introduced to the role of governance in improving health through collaborative community resources by Linda Summers, COO of Via Healthcare Consulting. Summers discussed the role of council in community partnerships and the importance of community input in prioritizing needs.

Roger Hanshaw, attorney for Bowles Rice and speaker of the W.Va. House of Delegates, provided insight into virtual board meetings versus in-person meetings. He explained how to understand which board discussions can take place virtually and which discussions are best held in an in-person meeting.

Friday’s events concluded with a motivational session by keynote speaker Jessica Rector. Rector is a former TV talk show host and bestselling author. She spoke about how organizational leadership must be proactive in addressing burnout by inspiring employees to keep doing their best. Rector outlined tools leaders can use to increase employee engagement and retention.

Each year, during the dinner portion of the two-day event, the Center’s Board of Directors presents the West Virginia Rural Health Leadership Award to an individual who has demonstrated leadership in improving health in rural communities. of West Virginia. This year’s 2022 recipient is longtime physician Dan Foster, MD, and former member of the West Virginia Senate.

Recently retired from his role as medical administrator at West Virginia’s largest hospital, Dr. Foster is a Stanford-trained physician, former clinical professor and former West Virginia state senator and delegate who worked as a general surgeon. and vascular for almost 25 years. years. He served in the West Virginia Legislature for 10 years and is now retired from politics and medicine.

Always a strong advocate for public health, Dr. Foster has focused his legislative career on improving the health and lives of his fellow West Virginians, working to, among other things, better regulate the pharmaceutical industry and combat the negative effects of drug addiction.

“It is humbling to be the recipient of this year’s award. Foster said via video message. “While I am well aware of the quality of rural health care in general, I have learned that in our state it is indeed a critical need.”

Dr Foster said he felt like an impostor compared to those who received the leadership award in previous years knowing their achievements. Having come to West Virginia 43 years ago, Dr. Foster appreciates the rural healthcare system and what it has done for so many people.

“I firmly believe that there is nothing more important to the future growth and development of the Mountain States economy than improving the health of the people of West Virginia,” said Dr Foster. . “And no entity is doing more to make that happen than the Center for Rural Health Development under the leadership of Sharon Lansdale. It is especially meaningful to be honored in this way. Thank you for making me feel so special.

The Saturday sessions focused on creating a culture of health and prosperity in communities in West Virginia and Appalachia. Monte Roulier, President of Community Initiatives, kicked off the morning by talking about the legacy moment we find ourselves in due to the COVID pandemic, and that getting back to normal won’t be enough if our goal is for all people and all places prosper.

Next, David Zuckerman, president of Health Anchor Network, spoke about promoting the anchor’s mission to create local economies where all can thrive. He described the anchor mission framework and the role healthcare organizations and businesses can play in improving community health and creating a supportive community environment for economic prosperity in their communities.

Next, Brian Castrucci, President and CEO of the Beaumont Foundation, engaged attendees with a presentation on building partnerships to strengthen public health. He emphasized the importance of partnerships and how all levels of leadership are needed if we are to improve the health of the people of West Virginia.

Over lunch, participants heard from Julia Fraustino, PhD and Director of Public Interest Communication Research, and Dan Totzkay, PhD and Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at West Virginia University. They presented strategies to help participants navigate difficult conversations and effectively avoid or manage resistance. They also focused on effective communication strategies to promote health equity in a contemporary media and cultural ecosystem.

The final presentation came from Jim Hunt, a West Virginian and former president of the National League of Cities, titled The Road Forward for Appalachian Communities and Organizations. He challenged attendees to think about what opportunities for a new future for our state should look like and how technology and monetary investments can help communities.

The weekend event was sponsored by the Center for Rural Health Development with joint sponsorship provided by the CAMC Institute for Academic Medicine and with financial support from CAMC, the W.Va. Office of Rural Health, Angel Flight East, the WV Beverage Association and the Marshall University School of Medicine. Scholarships were offered by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, the Highmark Foundation and the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation. Next year’s Leadership Forum will be held April 28-29, 2023 at the Stonewall Resort and Conference Center.

May 12 (THEWILL) — Bayelsa State Deputy Governor Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo on Thursday urged all levels of government and other key health industry stakeholders in the country to invest more in the development of human resources to effectively manage the sector.

The Deputy Governor made the call when he received a high-level delegation from the UNICEF Nigeria Country Office, led by its Chief of Health, Dr. Edwardo Celadis, who paid him a courtesy call. at Government House, Yenagoa.

A statement released by the Senior Special Assistant for Media to the Deputy Governor, Mr. Doubara Atasi, quotes him as suggesting that 80% of all public sector spending on health should be devoted to human resource development, while only 20% should be allocated to health. Infrastructure.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who expressed his enthusiasm for the commitment displayed by UNICEF regarding its memorandum of understanding on primary health care with the state government, said that Bayelsa was ready to make available its counterpart funds for the implementation of the MoU.

He noted that the government was not only delighted to partner with UNICEF to increase vaccination against COVID-19, but to improve the entire health care delivery system in Bayelsa.

The Deputy Governor, however, pointed out that the number of boats and operational vehicles reserved by UNICEF to cover the state’s eight local government areas for the health program was grossly insufficient.

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Therefore, he called on the development partner to make better logistical arrangements for seamless implementation of the programs in all LGAs in the state which are largely aquatic.

Bayelsa Citizen Number Two assured the UNICEF team of the state government’s support to deliver on its planned commitment of about 500 nurses and midwives for the implementation of its programme.

He also highlighted the need to appoint a UNICEF field officer in charge of Bayelsa and the inclusion of primary health extension workers to meet the number of health personnel required to effectively deliver the program. .

Earlier in his presentation, UNICEF Nigeria Chief of Health Dr. Edwardo Celadis said the team was in the state to discuss with the government on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on primary health care and provide financial and technical support for increased vaccination against COVID-19. .

He said the visit was also necessitated by the imperative to set up a special immunization task force and the recruitment of around 500 nurses and midwives to implement the organization’s project.

A new supplement published today in the journal Pediatrics suggests that while we are beginning to connect the dots between events and experiences early in life and adult health issues later, we are not doing enough to intervene in childhood to optimize later health outcomes. At a time of growing concern about the mental health and well-being of youth, young adults, researchers find this lack of attention to building stores of health and resilience early in life. life “deeply disturbing” and call for a major new focus on supporting children’s positive health development and sense of well-being.

The series of articles is published as a supplement to Pediatrics by the Life Course Intervention Research Network (LCIRN), whose National Coordinating Center is housed at UCLA within the Center for Healthier Children Families and Communities.

The current situation is deeply troubling for providers and families and represents a profound failure of our healthcare systems to adapt to rapidly changing epidemiology and respond to new scientific evidence with system reforms and improvements. health. Immediate action is needed if we are to improve the health of children and the adults they will become. »

Neal Halfon, MD, MPH, director of the Life Course Intervention Research Network and professor of pediatrics, public policy and health policy and management, University of California-Los Angeles Health Sciences

The authors write that within the existing system of care, child health care providers are constrained by short appointment times and the inability to address impending social and structural issues that likely contribute to ongoing problems. in adulthood, such as mental health issues, suboptimal diet. and chronic stress. They write that the current system and approach was designed to treat the disease at a time when there was little understanding of epigenetics – how environmental influences and children’s lived experiences can affect the expression of their genes. In fact, for many children it can be a “disconnect” between what would be an “ideal” set of environments and experiences for them early in life and the reality of those environments and experiences. experiences that is at the root of many of our later health problems.

The 17 articles in the special supplement focus on several areas where new intervention approaches have the potential to improve health across the lifespan and even across generations. Topics range from a framework for researchers to establish best practices for lifelong intervention work, to the case for positioning young people to collaborate directly with researchers in all stages of intervention development and testing, early childhood mental health interventions, and physical and mental health interventions. virtual spaces such as schools and telehealth. Throughout the study, the researchers emphasize that integrating the role of family and community is key to improving a child’s well-being.

The series indicates that despite the realization of the potential of early interventions to improve health later in life, the shift to a health system designed to keep people healthy throughout their lives has been slow.

“This message is important for everyone, but especially for individuals and institutions who fund health research, child health care providers and researchers and for policy makers who need to understand that it will be very difficult and costly to achieve health equity later in life without equity from the start,” said Dr. Halfon. “We need to intervene early in the pathways that connect events and experiences in the early years of life to health later in life and find ways to optimize critical outcomes.”

LCIRN is a collaborative network of more than 75 researchers from 25 institutions, service providers, family and community representatives, and thought leaders committed to improving lifelong health trajectories and outcomes for children and families. In addition to the UCLA Center, the LCIRN includes two research nodes focusing on the themes of family and community engagement and race, place, class, and gender; and nine current research nodes that address adversity and resilience, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, early childhood mental health, family health development, measurement of family functioning, school health, success after prematurity, youth justice, and youth-led participatory action research.

FUNDING: This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services under award UA6MC32492, the Life Course Intervention Research Network. The information, content and/or conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, or where endorsements should be inferred by, the Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, or United States Government.

Newswise—A new Supplement published today in the journal Pediatrics suggests that although we are beginning to connect the dots between events and experiences in early life and adult health issues later, we are not doing enough to intervene in childhood to optimize subsequent health outcomes. At a time of growing concern about the mental health and well-being of youth, young adults, researchers find this lack of attention to building stores of early health and resilience of life “deeply troubling” and call for a major new focus on supporting the positive development of children’s health and sense of well-being.

The series of articles is published as a supplement to Pediatrics speak Lifespan Interventions Research Network (LCIRN), whose national coordinating center is housed at UCLA within the Center for Healthier Children Families and Communities.

“The current situation is deeply troubling for providers and families and represents a profound failure of our healthcare systems to adapt to rapidly changing epidemiology and to respond to new scientific evidence with reforms and improvements in the health system. Immediate action is needed if we are to improve the health of children and the adults they will become,” said Neal Halfon, MD, MPH, director of the Life Course Intervention Research Network and professor of pediatrics, public policy and politics and health management. at UCLA.

The authors write that within the existing system of care, child health care providers are constrained by short appointment times and the inability to address impending social and structural issues that likely contribute to ongoing problems. in adulthood, such as mental health issues, suboptimal diet. and chronic stress. They write that the current system and approach was designed to treat the disease at a time when there was little understanding of epigenetics – how environmental influences and children’s lived experiences can affect the expression of their genes. In fact, for many children, it may be a “mismatch” between what would be an “ideal” set of environments and experiences for them early in life and the reality of those environments and experiences that is the root of many of our later health problems.

The 17 articles in the special supplement focus on several areas where new intervention approaches have the potential to improve health across the lifespan and even across generations. Topics range from a framework for researchers to establish best practices for lifelong intervention work, to the case for positioning young people to collaborate directly with researchers in all stages of intervention development and testing, early childhood mental health interventions, and physical and mental health interventions. virtual spaces such as schools and telehealth. Throughout the study, the researchers emphasize that integrating the role of family and community is key to improving a child’s well-being.

The series indicates that despite the realization of the potential of early interventions to improve health later in life, the shift to a health system designed to keep people healthy throughout their lives has been slow.

“This message is important for everyone, but especially for individuals and institutions who fund health research, child health care providers and researchers, and for policy makers who need to understand that it will be very difficult and costly to achieve health equity later in life without equity from the start,” said Dr. Halfon. “We need to intervene early in the pathways that connect events and experiences in the early years of life to health later in life and find ways to optimize essential outcomes.”

LCIRN is a collaborative network of more than 75 researchers from 25 institutions, service providers, family and community representatives, and thought leaders committed to improving lifelong health trajectories and outcomes for children and families. In addition to the UCLA Center, the LCIRN includes two research nodes focusing on the themes of family and community engagement and race, place, class, and gender; and nine current research nodes that address adversity and resilience, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, early childhood mental health, family health development, measurement of family functioning, school health, success after prematurity, youth justice, and youth-led participatory action research.

FUNDING: This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services under award UA6MC32492, the Life Course Intervention Research Network. The information, content and/or conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, or where endorsements should be inferred by, the Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, or United States Government.

DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose in connection with this article.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-053509C