Target: BP — East Texas Blood Pressure Control Initiative

Better Blood Pressure. Healthier Lives.

A female medical professional listening to a patient.

Target: BP™ is a national initiative jointly developed by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Medical Association (AMA) to help health systems, clinics, and communities improve blood pressure (BP) control using evidence-based strategies.

Here in East Texas, under the leadership of Texas AHEC East and aligned with UTMB’s mission, we’re working to bring the principles of Target: BP to clinics, community health centers, and care teams across our region, helping to reduce hypertension, prevent heart disease and stroke, and promote equitable health outcomes.

Why Target: BP Matters in East Texas

  • Nearly 47% of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, and many don’t even know it.
  • Despite medical advances, hypertension control remains suboptimal, with wide disparities based on race, income, and geography.
  • Target: BP has honored more than 1,300 health care organizations serving over 8 million patients for prioritizing BP control using the MAP™ framework.
  • In Texas, adoption of Target: BP in community health centers has been the subject of implementation research, showing how clinic-level strategies can help overcome barriers to adoption.

By bringing Target: BP to East Texas, we aim to elevate quality of care, support clinicians, and empower patients to manage blood pressure more effectively, especially in high-needs and rural areas.

Red and blue Texas AHEC East logo

Our Approach: MAP™ Framework

Target: BP operates along three core pillars: Measure Accurately, Act Rapidly, and Partner with Patients. These align closely with best practices in hypertension care.


Measure Accurately

Promote proper equipment use, staff training, device calibration, and repeated measurement protocols to reduce measurement errors.



Act Rapidly

Support the adoption of hypertension treatment protocols, timely medication intensification, and regular follow-up for patients not at goal.


Partner with Patients

Encourage self-measured blood pressure (SMBP), shared decision-making, lifestyle interventions, and patient education to sustain control. 

These pillars are woven into our regional strategies to support clinics in East Texas implementing Target: BP.

What East Texas Clinics & Community Partners Can Expect

As part of Texas AHEC East’s Target: BP efforts, participating organizations will have access to:

  • Training & education modules on accurate BP measurement and hypertension management
  • Practical tools & resources, such as infographics, protocols, and implementation guides
  • Data support & benchmarking, helping clinics track progress over time
  • Recognition & awards alignment, leveraging the national Target: BP recognition program
  • Ongoing support via AHEC East, UTMB’s network, and regional partnerships

We will also facilitate peer learning sessions, regional workshops, and collaborative forums for East Texas health providers to share best practices and lessons learned.

In the process, we aim to develop and implement a work plan that addresses and accomplishes activities as outlined below:

Coordinate with DSHS and its stakeholders by using the American Heart Association (AHA)/American Medical Association (AMA)'s Target:BP Improvement Program's evidence-based Measure, Act, Partner (MAP) Approach to train all clinical staff in new primary care clinics that serve the populations of focus in Dallas on the following:

  • Evidence-based communication strategies with patients (e.g., teach-back and motivational interviewing).
  • Proper blood pressure (BP) measurement procedures by engaging the care team on proper BP measurement; competency and confidence in BP measurement readings across the care team shall increase, leading to better care outcomes.

Additional Resources

Measuring BP & Cuff Information

Blood pressure numbers:

Training patients information:

Heart-Healthy Grocery Guide

Nutrition plays a powerful role in preventing and managing high blood pressure. This Heart-Healthy Grocery Guide offers practical, evidence-informed food recommendations to help individuals and families shop with confidence and support their long-term cardiovascular health. Featuring smart choices across produce, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, low-fat dairy, and lower-sodium staples, this resource makes healthy eating more approachable and actionable.

Target:BP Houston Health Department Asset Maps

Across the Greater Houston area, there are locations for services ranging from social services and support offices, community-based organizations (CBOs), pathway agencies (PAs), lifestyle change program offices (LCPs), and self-measured blood pressure program offices with clinical support (SMBPs). View the maps below as a reference.

Screenshot of Locations of Social Services and Support Needs Resources map Screenshot of Self-Measured Blood Pressure Locations Map Screenshot of Lifestyle Change Support Locations map

Learn More & Resources