Texas Health Institute

THE MISSION OF THE TEXAS HEALTH INSTITUTE IS TO ADVANCE THE HEALTH OF ALL.

MOUNTAIN STATES REGIONAL GENETICS NETWORK'S (MSRGN) MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH GENETIC DISORDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY CARE AND APPROPRIATE GENETIC EXPERTISE AND INFORMATION THROUGH FACILITATING A PROFESSIONAL NETWORK OF GENETICS CLINICS, KEY PRIMARY CARE PRACTICES, CONSUMER ADVOCATES, AND STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESOURCES. THE EIGHT STATES THAT MAKE UP THE MSRGN REGION INCLUDE MONTANA, WYOMING, NEVADA, UTAH, COLORADO, ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO AND TEXAS. THE MSRGN IS ONE OF SEVEN REGIONAL NETWORKS FUNDED THROUGH THE HEALTHCARE RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (HRSA). THE MSRGN IS FOCUSED ON THE FOLLOWING PRIORITIES: LINKAGE OF MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS TO GENETIC SERVICES IMPLEMENTATION OF QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES TO INCREASE GENETIC SERVICES IMPLEMENTATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED INNOVATIVE MODELS OF TELEHEALTH/TELEMEDICINE FOCUSED ON CLINICAL GENETICS PROVISION OF RESOURCES TO PROVIDERS (GENETICS AND PRIMARY CARE), PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND INDIVIDUALS WITH GENETICS CONDITIONS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

THI'S HEALTH EQUITY PROGRAMS HELP NATIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEADERS, ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES IDENTIFY, MEASURE, AND ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES AND ADVANCE HEALTH EQUITY. IN 2021, THESE PROJECTS INCLUDED, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DEVELOPING THE INAGURAL HEALTH DISPARITIES REPORT FOR AMERICA'S HEALTH RANKINGS PLATFORM; DEVELOPING AND RELEASING A COMMUNITY BASED COVID19 AND HEALTH EQUITY REPORT TO HELP NUECES COUNTY LEADERS PLAN FOR AND RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC FROM A HEALTH EQUITY PERSPECTIVE; AND LASTLY WE CONTINUED WORK ON CONDUCTING A TWOYEAR REALIST VALUATION OF NEARLY TWODOZEN CROSSSECTOR ALIGNMENT INITIATIVES FOR HEALTH AND HEALTH EQUITY ACROSS TEXAS.

ELEARNING AND TRAINING PROGRAM CREATES COURSES BASED ON A FRAMEWORK DEVELOPED WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES AND OUR ELEARNING PARTNER TULANE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND TROPICAL MEDICINE. WE WORK TOGETHER TO APPLY "REAL WORLD" EXPERIENCE IN DEVELOPING COURSES WITH MEASURABLE OUTCOMES THAT ENGAGE THE PRACTITIONER WHEN IT IS CONVENIENT TO THEIR SCHEDULE. WE PROVIDE PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONERS WITH LEADING EDGE CONTENT USING BEST PRACTICES BASED ON CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. THI, WITH ITS PARTNER EQUALITY TEXAS FOUNDATION, CREATED THE SEVEN COURSE TRANSGENDER HEALTH LEARNING SERIES. THE COURSES SERVE AS A CONVENIENT, ONLINE SERIES FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND FOR PEOPLE INTERESTED INBECOMING MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY. TRANS PEOPLE AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS CREATED EACH COURSE. THI, IS A REGION 6 SOUTH CENTRAL PUBLIC HEALTH TRAINING CENTER'S COMMUNITY BASED PARTNER. THI HELPS CREATE TRAINING THAT IS COMPETENCY-BASED, PRACTICE-FOCUSED, AND ADDRESSES CORE FUNCTIONS AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES. TRAINING IS BASED ON FORMAL NEEDS ASSESSMENTS IN THE FIVE STATE SOUTH CENTRAL REGION. TRANSFORWARD: TEXAS TRANSGENDER HEALTH IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THI AND EQUALITY TEXAS FOUNDATION. THE PATIENT-CENTERED OUTCOMES RESEARCH INSTITUTE (PCORI) FUNDED THE CREATION OF A STATEWIDE TRANSGENDER-POWERED RESEARCH LEARNING COLLABORATIVE NETWORK EMPLOYING THE PATIENT-CENTERED OUTCOMES RESEARCH (PCOR) CONCEPTUAL MODEL TO GUIDE AND OPERATIONALIZE THE NETWORK. THIS APPROACH ENABLES TEAMS TO CONDUCT RESEARCH ON TRANSGENDER HEALTH ISSUES ACROSS TEXAS WITH SOME LEVEL OF COORDINATION. THE PROJECT CREATED A PROJECT ECHO SERIES ON COVID-19 AND THE TRANSGENDER AND GENDER DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS. TRANSFORWARD IS ALSO A STANFORD UNIVERSITY PRIDE STUDY/NET COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PARTNER. TEXASHRH (HURRICANE RESPONSE HUB) IS A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER CREATED WITH HURRICANE HARVEY FUNDING. THE HUB IS ONE OF FIVE REGIONAL HUBS AND HAS CREATED EIGHT ELEARNING COURSES RESPONDING TO HURRICANE EVENTS. THE HUB ALSO CREATED A PROJECT ECHO SERIES ON HURRICANES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

THE TEXAS PRIMARY CARE CONSORTIUM (TPCC) IS A STATEWIDE COLLABORATIVE LED BY THE TEXAS MEDICAL HOME INITIATIVE AND TEXAS HEALTH INSTITUTE WITH A MISSION TO ADVANCE EQUITABLE, COMPREHENSIVE, AND SUSTAINABLE PRIMARY CARE FOR ALL TEXANS. WITH LEADERSHIP FROM OUR STEERING COMMITTEE AND SUPPORT FROM OUR PARTNERS, TPCC IS WORKING TO ADDRESS THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES OF HEALTH CARE INEQUITIES, HIGH COSTS, AND LACK OF ACCESS. TEXAS PRIMARY CARE CONSORTIUM LEADS WITH THE FRAMEWORK TO: 1) EDUCATE: EXPAND OUR KNOWLEDGE BASE BY SHARING BEST PRACTICES, LESSONS LEARNED, AND REPLICABLE TOOLS. 2) ACTIVATE: FACILITATE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD AND STRENGTHEN LASTING PARTNERSHIPS FOR SHARED AND SUSTAINABLE IMPACT. 3) TRANSFORM: CREATE SPACES FOR DIALOGUE AND ACTION TO GENERATE A SHIFT IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM THROUGH POLICY AND SYSTEM CHANGE INITIATIVES. THE TPCC CONTINUES TO FACILITATE AN ANNUAL STATEWIDE CONFERENCE TO CONVENE HEALTH CHAMPIONS AND CONTINUE IN OUR SHARED PURSUIT OF IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF TEXANS THROUGH ACCESSIBLE, EQUITABLE, AND COORDINATED PERSON-CENTERED PRIMARY CARE.DISEASES IN NATURE (DIN) IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT CONFERENCE AND SERVES AS A FORUM FOR THE PRESENTATION OF EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS, CLINICAL CASE STUDIES, BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH, AND OTHER TOPICS IN EMERGING AND CURRENT ZOONOTIC AND ENVIRONMENTALLY-ACQUIRED INFECTIOUS DISEASES. THE CONFERENCE'S GOAL IS TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF THESE DISEASES WITHIN THE VETERINARY, MEDICAL, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND ACADEMIC RESEARCH COMMUNITIES. DIN TAKES PLACE ANNUALLY IS CO-SPONSORED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES ZOONOSIS CONTROL BRANCH AND PRODUCED VIRTUALLY BY TEXAS HEALTH INSTITUTE.THI'S ORAL HEALTH PROGRAM SEEKS TO IMPROVE THE ORAL HEALTH FOR ALL BY ENGAGING IN RESEARCH AND PROJECTS AT LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS. THE TEAM EVALUATES AND IMPROVES METHODS TO MONITOR ORAL DISEASES AND OUTCOMES. PROJECTS WORK TO REDUCE DISPARITIES IN ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE, INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT ORAL HEALTH AND IT'S EFFECT ON OVERALL HEALTH AND WELLBEING. THE PROGRAM SEEKS TO ALSO INCREASE AWARENESS FOR A DATADRIVEN AND EVIDENCE BASED POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVEL. IN 2021, THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDED DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A STATEWIDE STRATEGY TO IMPLEMENT EVIDENCE INFORMED PRACTICES; AND ENGAGING THE CONSUMER IN DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TELEDENSTISTRY IN TEXAS.THI'S COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM ADVANCES COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS THROUGH CONDUCTING COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT, FACILITATING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, AND DEVELOPING COMMUNITY HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLANS. IN DOING SO, WE RESEARCH AND EVALUATE EXISTING EFFORTS AND POLICIES, ANALYZE POPULATION HEALTH TRENDS, AND IDENTIFY COMMUNITY ASSETS. IN 2021, THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDED, BUT WERE NOT LIMITED TO, PROVIDING BACKBONE SUPPORT FOR A TRI-COUNTY COLLABORATION IN EAST TEXAS TO ADDRESS THE OVERLAPPING ISSUES OF SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS; AND CONDUCTING COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR THE FIVE COUNTY REGION IN CENTRAL TEXAS.