ST-AHEC Monthly eNotes and Newsletter

Welcome to the South Texas AHEC e-Notes for October 2025

Learning Opportunities and Upcoming Events

Follow Southwest Border AHEC on Facebook @SWBAHEC

South Texas All Abilities Center (STAAC) Fall Festival

October 9, 2025 from 5:00PM to 8:00PM
1152 Ferry Street, Eagle Pass, Texas

The South Texas All Abilities Center, in collaboration with Southwest Border AHEC, will host a Fall Festival on October 9, 2025, in Eagle Pass, Texas. The event will feature seasonal activities, games, food, and entertainment, offering a welcoming and inclusive space for community members of all ages. The festival is a great opportunity for families and neighbors to connect, celebrate the season, and enjoy a day of fun together. For more information contact Bonifacio Vega at (830) 758-1111.

Southwest Texas College Transfer and Career Fairs

October 14th to 16th, 2025

Southwest Texas College will host its Transfer and Career Fairs across three locations this October: Del Rio on October 14, Uvalde on October 15, and Eagle Pass on October 16. These events provide students with an opportunity to explore transfer options, connect with employers, and learn about career pathways in a variety of fields. Southwest Border AHEC will be a main partner in attendance, engaging with students and providing guidance on health-related careers, educational opportunities, and professional development. For more information contact Bonifacio Vega at (830) 758-1111.

United Medical Center's Breast and Cervical Center Awareness Event

October 16, 2025 from 10:00AM to 3:00PM
3295 Bob Rogers Drive, Eagle Pass, Texas

On October 16, 2025, United Medical Centers, in partnership with Southwest Border AHEC, will host a Breast and Cervical Awareness event to promote early detection, education, and preventive care for women's health. The event will provide attendees with information on screenings, health resources, and support services, emphasizing the importance of regular check-ups and awareness in preventing serious health issues. Southwest Border AHEC will offer educational materials and resources to help community members better understand breast and cervical health. For more information contact Bonifacio Vega at (830) 758-1111

Dia de los Muertos Family Celebration

October 25. 2025 in Eagle Pass, Texas

The Consulado de México en Eagle Pass, in partnership with Southwest Border AHEC, will host a Día de los Muertos Family Celebration on October 25, 2025. This community event brings families and neighbors together to honor loved ones and share meaningful traditions through music, dance, colorful altars, traditional food, and hands-on activities for all ages. More than a celebration, it's a space for connection, reflection, and community. Everyone is welcome to take part and celebrate this special tradition together. For more information, contact Bonifacio Vega at (830) 758-1111

P.E.A.C.H.E.S - "Promotoras En Accion"

October 29, 2025 from 6:00PM to 8:00PM
Southwest Texas College, Bob Rogers Drive, Eagle Pass, Texas

As part of the Promotoras en Acción (P.E.A.C.H.E.S) series, Southwest Border AHEC will host a Spanish-language Community Health Worker Education Session on October 29, 2025. The session will focus on providing participants with practical tools to guide individuals and families through complex healthcare systems. This training is designed to strengthen the skills of community health workers, enabling them to support their communities by explaining benefits, connecting people to resources, and improving access to care. Attendees will gain insights into eligibility, enrollment processes, and local service options, equipping them to serve as effective advocates for community members. The session highlights Southwest Border AHEC's commitment to empowering community health workers to help people access the care and support they need. For more information contact Bonifacio Vega at (830) 758-1111

Follow Mid Rio Grande Border AHEC on Facebook @AreaHealthEducationCenter

41st Annual Update in Medicine Conference

Friday October 24 to Saturday October 25, 2025

41st Annual Update in Medicine Conference will be held October 24-25, 2025 and will be offering current health information on various conditions affecting the community. For more information, please contact the Mid Rio Grande Border AHEC Office 956-712-0037

Follow South Coastal AHEC on Facebook @SouthCoastalAHEC.CC

Orange Grove Food Distribution

October 18, 2025 from 7:00 to 10:00am
306 Voelkel Ave, Orange Grove, TX

The third Saturday of the month is for food distribution! Every third Saturday of the month, South Coastal AHEC travels to Orange Grove, TX, to distribute food for the community. Each month, they see over 100 families. For more information, contact Brittany Serna at 361-881-8133

South Coastal Community Health Worker Association

Next Meeting - October 21, 2025

South Coastal AHEC has helped create a local Community Health Worker Association. This association meets every third Tuesday of the month to provide one free CEU, inform each other on the upcoming events, learn about new resources, and fill gaps in care for the community. For more information, contact: Brittany Serna at (361) 881-8133

Follow South Central AHEC on Facebook @SouthCentralTexasAHEC

Community Health Summit

October, 24, 2025 from 8:00AM to 1:00PM
McKenna Event Center 801 W San Antonio St , New Braunfels, TX 78130

Save the Date: 2025 Community Health Summit "Pathways to a Healthier Community Ahead" 📅 Date: Friday, October 24, 2025 🕗 Time: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM 📍 Location: McKenna Events Center, 801 W San Antonio St, New Braunfels, TX 78130 Join us for a half-day summit focused on local health issues, equity, and innovation in Comal and Guadalupe Counties. Open to the public, this event brings together health professionals, students, and community members. Event Highlights: Panel Discussions on community health issues, Comal Cares Resource Hub, Community Health Worker Presentations Culinary Medicine: Learn-Prepare-Eat Session Continuing Education Credits: CME, CEU, and CE (pending approval) For more information contact: [email protected] or [email protected] or call (830) 629-8161

Aging Conference

October 25, 2025 from 10:00AM to 2:00PM
The Neighborhood Place, 3014 Rivas St, San Antonio, TX 78228

Special Guest Speaker: Dr. Michael Wargovich International expert in colon cancer, cancer chemoprevention, and botanical medicine related to cancer. 🥗 Featured Topic: Foods that Fight Inflammation: Nature's Gift for Healthy Aging. Learn how anti-inflammatory drugs work and their role in preventing chronic disease. Identify foods with anti-inflammatory potential and how to use them in daily life. Discover how an anti-inflammatory diet can help slow aging processes.
🎉 Additional Highlights:

Community Resources
Free Refreshments
Bingo & Door Prizes
Free Vaccines for Adults (Flu, Shingles, COVID)

💉 Call/Text 210-793-7355 or email [email protected] for FREE Vaccine Registration. This event is proudly hosted by South Central AHEC in collaboration with the Bexar County Translational Advisory Board.

2025 IIMS Community Engagement Symposium

November 8, 2025 from 9:00AM to 2:00PM
The Neighborhood Place, 3014 Rivas St, San Antonio, TX 78228
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-iims-community-engagement-symposium-tickets-1435151890939?aff=oddtdtcreator

Join us for a day filled with insightful discussions, networking opportunities, and community building. Topic: Deep Roots, Resilient Voices, and Collective Action through Community-Academic Partnerships in Health Research. Scientific translation describes the process of taking research discoveries from basic lab science, to clinical practice, and into community interventions for public health benefit. Community engagement is essential across these stages, helping identify relevant health priorities and ensuring research is applied in ways that are practical, accepted, and effective. Our goal is to engage the community, faculty, and students in conversations about health research, building capacity for community-campus partnerships, showcasing current projects, and fostering future collaborations. To achieve this, the CE Symposium will support the following aims:

Providing spaces and tools for community members and researchers to share stories, priorities, and experiences that shape health and well-being.
Building and maintaining trust through open communication, mutual respect, and shared responsibility in all stages of the research process.
Ensuring that all partners-whether from the community or the university-have a meaningful role in shaping goals and making decisions together.
Supporting clear communication and transparency by sharing results, updates, and lessons learned in ways that are useful to the community.
Highlighting real-world examples of how communities and researchers are working side by side to solve problems and create change.

Open to community members, students, healthcare practitioners, and researchers interested in community-campus partnerships for health research

Plenary Speaking Team

Carmen Valdez, PhD - Associate Dean of Research and Partnerships - UT San Antonio School of Public Health
Marisa Oliva - Green Schoolyard Coordinator - Texas Children in Nature Network
Regina Bocanegra - Youth Community Leader - Rio Grande Valley

For more information, email: I[email protected] or call (210) 562-4087

4th Annual Fall Family Festival

November 15, 2025 from 11:00AM to 2:00PM
Polo Patiño Park 147 W. Davila St. Pearsall, TX 78061

Join us for a fun-filled afternoon at the 4th Annual Frio County Fall Family Festival! Families can enjoy live music, free giveaways, health screenings, community resources, face painting, and more! It's a great opportunity to connect with neighbors, support local vendors, and celebrate the season together. 📢 Vendors welcome! If you'd like to showcase your services or resources, email [email protected] for details. We can't wait to see you there! For more info, call (210) 793-7355

Expressive Therapeutic Rhythm Making

Remaining dates: November 1, and December 6
Held at The Center every 1st Saturday of the month from 10:00 - 11:30am

🥁 Get in the Groove with Expressive Therapeutic Rhythm Making! 🎶 Join us for a monthly rhythm-making session hosted by the Therapeutic Expressive Arts Institute of South Texas - a creative, no-cost opportunity open to individuals of all ages and abilities! ✨ No experience needed - drums and percussion are provided! Whether you're new to rhythm or a seasoned beat-maker, this is a safe and energizing space to: Relieve stress, Boost creativity, Connect with your community, Bond with friends and family Have fun through music and movement! 🧘‍♀️ Breaks are provided, and all abilities are welcome. Come express yourself - we can't wait to jam with you! For more information contact: Jorge Ochoa, [email protected] or call (210) 289-7100

Brief Motivational Interviewing Training for the Interprofessional Team
January 31, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 12:00PM
Register here: https://redcap.link/MITraining26

Hosted by South Central AHEC, this interactive workshop will provide health professionals with practical tools to enhance patient-provider communication using the spirit of Motivational Interviewing (MI). In this session, you'll learn how to:

Recognize effective patient-provider communication with MI
Respond to patients with open-ended statements, affirmations, reflections, and summaries (OARS)
Listen and amplify change talk using reflection, open questions, and importance/confidence scales
Know when and how to offer advice or information without resistance.

Presenter: Dr. Stacy Ogbeide, PsyD, ABPP, CSOWM - Board-Certified Clinical Health Psychologist and Associate Professor of Family & Community Medicine at UT Health San Antonio. 📍 Attend in person at the UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing For more information, contact Ariel at [email protected] or call (210) 793-7355

Follow Lower Rio Grande Valley AHEC on Facebook @lrgv.ahec

Teen Cuisine

Wednesdays beginning September 11, 2025 from 4:00PM to 6:00PM
Hebbronville Junior High Cafeteria

Join Anna and learn about nutrition, food safety, and physical activity! Teen Cuisine addresses key concepts for teens about nutrition, food preparation and cooking, food safety, and physical activity and providing strategies that enhance learning and behavior change among teens. First session of 6 sessions starts Wednesday, September 11, 2025, at Hebbronville Junior High Cafeteria, 91 N Wilhelma Ave., Hebbronville, TX 78361.For more information contact Ana Vela at (361) 527-3737

Brush Country Casa Trunk or Treat

October 10, 2025 from 5:00PM to 7:00PM
101 North Mallory Street, Sarita, Texas
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSed8E4nnBbPxiH6cIs3nRrImVI8fBd5sGXog8tLCszQwzu5EA/viewform

CASA for Children is sponsoring a Truck-or-Treat community event to connect residents of Kenedy County and surrounding counties with available resources. For more information contact Jaylene Garza at (361) 595-7233

CHW Train-the-Trainer Community Outreach Initiative

Otober 30, 2025 from 8:30AM to 1:00PM
UTRGV Community Engagement & Student Success Building (ECESS 1.117)
1407 E Freddy Gonzalez Dr., Edinburg, TX 78539
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1748882016189?aff=oddtdtcreator

UTRGV AHEC and LRGV AHEC are pleased to invite you to a free Train the Trainer community outreach initiative for Promotoras / Community Health Workers that will take place on October 30, 2025. We are excited to invite you to our health promotor(a) training in Spanish! CHWs will receive 4 DSHS-certified hours for CHWs. Together, we will learn about how to improve the health of our community. Don't miss it! Registration, breakfast, and networking will begin at 8:30 AM. For more information contact Juana Escareño at [email protected] or call (956) 230-5144

The AHEC Scholars Program is Enrolling Health Profession Students!

The AHEC Scholars Program is an opportunity for certain health profession students (medical, advanced practice nursing, registered nursing, pharmacy, physician assistants, dentistry, graduate psychology, CHWs, graduate public health, social workers, and others) to participate in interprofessional healthcare team activities. The duration of the program is 1-2 years (depending on discipline), runs concurrently with a student’s academic curriculum, and concludes when the student graduates from their respective health profession program. In addition to educational and professional enrichment, the AHEC Scholars Program offers a $500 stipend, per year involved in the program, to help offset student costs.

If you are interested in applying please click here. The AHEC Scholars Program is explained in greater detail at https://stahec.uthscsa.edu/ahec-scholars-2. Alternatively, please contact Roni Vela by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone: 361-881-8133, for more information.

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