Fort Bend * Harris * Montgomery * Waller
Texas AHEC East-Greater Houston Region is committed to improving the health of urban and underserved communities in Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, and Waller Counties. Since 1994 we have collaborated with several key organizations in our service region to achieve multiple programmatic, policy, and environmental successes. Through innovative health education and health workforce development programs, we work with our community to bridge existing gaps in care among the underserved.
MSEARCH 2018 - U.S. National Libraries of Medicine / South Central Region
Mobile Systems Education and Resources for Consumer Health (MSEARCH) is an electronic skill building program focused on educating seniors’ how to navigate National Libraries of Medicine (NLM) health information website using mobile device technology. Partnerships developed with the City of Houston Health Department and Neighborhood Centers Inc. has provided outreach opportunities to access senior populations. This program is an expansion of the Operation Computer Literacy Increasing Consumer Knowledge for Seniors (CLICKS) program that was initially developed and successfully implemented by the Greater Houston Region in 2010. As a result of these programs, approximately 273 seniors from 14 community organizations learned basic computer and Internet navigation skills necessary to access the credible health websites
All of Us - U.S. National Libraries of Medicine / South Central Region
The All of Us Research Program is a key element of the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI). Through advances in research, technology, and policies that empower patients, the PMI will enable a new era of medicine in which researchers, health care providers, and patients work together to develop individualized care.
University of Texas Houston School of Nursing
The Greater Houston Region facilitates service learning experiences for UT Houston School of Nursing by creating opportunities for students to apply their clinical and didactic skills in a community setting. The Greater Houston Region has provided community experiences for 152 nursing students since 2012. These students engaged in curriculum development, classroom instruction and community outreach.
Specific projects included:
- Operation CLICKS and MSEARCH - electronic skill building programs focused on senior populations developing basic computer or mobile tablet device skills to access credible health information on the Internet.
- The Senior Wellness Program-Through this initiative we aim to increase awareness of healthy behavior and provide a supportive environment which empowers seniors to make healthy lifestyle choices. The purpose of this program is to support the health and well-being of seniors by facilitating the implementation of evidenced-based activities designed to increase independence and enhance the quality of life of seniors over the age of 55.
- Sunnyside Update-This project provided an opportunity to conduct a health information needs assessment project in the Sunnyside area (an economically underserved area in Houston Texas). Through this initiative, 850 residents provided valuable feedback related to how they preferred to receive health information. The Sunnyside population of approximately 21,000 is disproportionately affected by limited access to healthy food, drug use, sexually transmitted diseases, obesity related illness, criminal activity and low income.
Community Health Worker Certification Classes offered.
The Promotor(a) or Community Health Worker Training and Certification Program provides leadership to enhance the development and implementation of statewide training and certification standards and administrative rules for the Promotor(a) or Community Health Worker (CHW) Training and Certification Program. Senate Bill 1051 (77th Texas Legislative Sessions) calls for the Texas Department of State Health Services to establish and operate a training and certification program for persons who act as promotores or community health workers, instructors and sponsoring institutions/training programs.