Greater Houston Region

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.


PROGRAMS

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.

 


 

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Mobile Systems Education and Resources for Consumer Health (MSEARCH BYOD) electronic skill-building program focused on educating seniors’ in Harris county on basic tablet user skills and how to navigate National Libraries of Medicine (NLM) health information resources using mobile tablet device technology.  AHEC has partnered with Baker Ripley Inc., The University of Texas School of Nursing, and the NLM to provide classes at 3 area Senior Centers.
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Texas AHEC East - Greater Houston Region, the Houston Business Coalition on Health (HBCH), and Cities Changing Diabetes are working together to increase awareness and capacity for the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) – an evidenced-based, cost-effective lifestyle change intervention, designed for people with prediabetes. Through support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), we are working to draft and implement an operational plan to increase availability, screening/testing/referral, and coverage the NDPP throughout the Greater Houston area. The NDPP provides a proven model for Houston area employers, payers, health systems, community organizations, and DPP providers to utilize to help prevent diabetes (American Medical Association). For more information, please refer to the following resources.
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Texas AHEC East Greater Houston Region and The Waller County Alliance for Lifestyle Choices coalition (WALC) received grant funding from the Department of State Health Services known as “Tobacco Prevention Control Coalition” (TPCC).  The funding created an opportunity for Junior High and High School children to become community liaisons in efforts to eliminate the use of tobacco because it is the leading preventable cause of illness and death in America.  Heart disease and stroke is the number one illness caused by smoking. 
Alex Reyna

Alexander Reyna, Jr.
Executive Director

4014 Market Street, Suite W111
Houston, TX 77020

Phone: 713/592-6411, Ext. 14
Email: alex.reyna@txaheceast.org

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