Welcome to the latest AHEC Newsletter with valuable health and education information!

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Welcome to the Fall 2021 South Texas AHEC Newsletter 

 

Recent Successes | Future Events | Learning Opportunities | Health News

 
 

Recent Successes

Visit the Southwest Border AHEC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/southwestborder.ahec

PEAAKS Summer Enrichment Camp: On August 2-6, 2021, Southwest Border AHEC hosted the PEAAKS Summer Enrichment Camp.   The camp consisted of hands-on healthcare related activities along with career exploration experience for high school students.  The camp also promoted academic success, career development, and personal growth throughout the week-long camp!  Students were exposed to a vaccine production seminar- emphasis on Covid-19 Vaccine, engaged in practical learning which included suture practice, stop the bleed, and vital signs, students were additionally certified in CPR and the camp concluded with an emergency mock simulation.  Congratulations to all the participants! 

Southwest Border AHEC would like to thank Southwest Texas Junior College, Maverick Ambulance Services, Jorge Torres, Ilse Castro and Erika Pena for a successful camp! 

 

It's your Shot Texas!: The T- Rex has been going around reminding everyone to get vaccinated! Southwest Border AHEC has been participating at various Back to School Healthcare events! Southwest Border AHEC is urging everyone to get vaccinated. For more information regarding vaccine sites or related information please call Southwest Border AHEC Academic Coordinator Mayra Gonzalez at 830.758.1111. 

HEALTHCARE IS PUBLIC HEALTH! "A Day in the Life of HIV/ Ryan White Program Director".  Southwest Border AHEC and Maverick County Hospital District proudly present the healthcare professional spotlight of the month, Mr. Marcos Trevino.  Mr. Marcos Trevino is the Director for the Ryan White Program at Maverick County Hospital District located in Eagle Pass, Texas.  The Ryan White/HIV Social Services Programs are state and federally funded and were established to improve the quality and availability of care for low-income, uninsured and underinsured individuals and families affected by the HIV/AIDS disease.  Individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS (lab results or doctor’s statement is required to verify diagnosis) that reside in the service delivery area of Maverick, Val Verde, Kinney, Uvalde, La Salle, Dimmit Counties qualify to receive services from the Ryan White/HIV Social Services program. 

Visit the MRGB AHEC on Facebook at www.facebook.com/areahealtheducationcenter

The Area Health Education Center of the Mid Rio Grande Border Area is an outreach program under the UT Health San Antonio and is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization with a mission to enhance the quality of life in the communities by increasing the number of well-trained health care workers; enhancing academic resources; and fostering a healthy lifestyle through community education programs. For additional information about AHEC and the menu of programs, visit https://www.facebook.com/AreaHealthEducationCenter  or www.mrgbahec.org or call (956)712-0037.

37th Annual Update in Medicine Conference: The Area Health Education Center of the Mid Rio Grande Border AHEC (MRGB AHEC) in collaboration with the Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg Counties Medical Society are hosting the 37th Annual Update in Medicine Conference on Friday, October 22, 2021, from noon to 6:30pm and on Saturday, October 23, 2021, from 8:00am to 5:00pm. This year’s virtual program features keynote speaker Dr. Ralph DeFronzo, Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Diabetes Division, UT Health San Antonio Holder of the Joe R. & Teresa Lozano Long Dist. Chair in Diabetes, Deputy Director of the Texas Diabetes Institute. Dr. DeFronzo is directly responsible for many seminal advances in diabetes over the last 50 years.  He was a leader in developing the concept of insulin resistance, the defining characteristic of Type 2 diabetes, resulting in novel ideas about the development and progression of diabetes.  

Medical providers and community members are invited to attend this virtual conference.  Over the years, the collaborative efforts between these two entities have made it possible for thousands of health care providers to receive continuing education credits and gain evidence-based knowledge to help enhance best practice methods for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of health issues impacting the border region. Some of the presentation themes to be covered in this year’s program include diabetes, cardiology, suicide, concussions, hypertension, orthopedic issues, stroke, ethics, pulmonary issues after COVID-19 and other important health topics affecting our community.  

Mental Health Awareness Virtual Gatherings: Serve Communities Learning to cope with stress, anxiety and other mental health symptoms may be difficult for people at times. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that there are a number of factors that can contribute to the risk for mental health issues and these factors may include early adverse life experiences, such as trauma or a history of abuse, experiences related to other ongoing (chronic) medical conditions, i.e.  cancer or diabetes; biological factors or chemical imbalances in the brain; use of alcohol or drugs; and having feelings of loneliness or isolation.

Over the last 18 months, communities throughout the world have been placed in an environment of isolation with drastic changes to their normal daily-life routines.  In an effort to make a difference in the South Texas communities, community members, students, counselors, educators, health providers, social workers and others attend, twice a month for one hour, a Mental Health Awareness Virtual gathering. These gatherings are made possible through the efforts of the Mid Rio Grande Border Area Health Education Center (MRGB AHEC), Texas Department of State Health Services Office of Border Public Health, WestCare and Starlite Recovery Center. These partners came together to increase mental health awareness and provide education on the services available throughout the various counties.  The communities have responded extremely well by attending the sessions that are facilitated by a mental health professional offering evidence-based education and recommendations.  Some of the recent topics have included “How to Help Yourself Cope with Social Isolation”, “Anxiety”, “Stress Management: Burnout”, “Spousal Abuse” and many more.  Participants continue to express the importance of maintaining a healthy mind while being isolated and they have encouraged other colleagues to join and receive information on the resources available. AHEC proudly reports that the Mental Health Awareness Virtual Gatherings from September 2020 – August 2021 has served over 2,100 participants. 

MRGB AHEC Hosts Education Presentation Dengue Disease, Epidemiology & Burden: On Thursday, August 12, 2021, the Mid Rio Grande Border Area Health Education Center (MRGB AHEC) hosted a presentation on Dengue Disease, Epidemiology, and Burden by Dr. Nicholas Bergren. Over 30 participants gathered virtually and received valuable information.  Dengue fever has become much more prevalent in recent decades around the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dengue viruses are transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito (Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus). Dengue fever can be found in more than 100 nations throughout the world and affects 40% of the world's population of around 3 billion people.  Close to 30 participants received information on how to prevent mosquito bites. One preventive measure is by wearing baggy clothing that covers arms and legs. Dr. Bergren also mentioned a way to prevent mosquitoes to nest, it is very important to empty and scrub, turn over, cover or dispose any items that hold water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys etc.  Dr. Bergren was able to answer multiple questions from the audience. He offered information and resources on where to find more science-based information on the subject.

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Students Create MRGB AHEC Week of Service: Numerous social services agencies depend on the services offered by volunteers to make their mission a success and in turn improve the number of people they serve.  COVID-19 has placed obstacles for students from the Mid Rio Grande Border Area Health Education Center (AHEC) leadership program to perform the duties they love to perform in the community – to serve others.    However, the students agreed to build service opportunities and created the AHEC week of service to support the agencies in the community and to continue networking, face-to-face in real time, with their peers. Members of the AHEC student leadership program reported that the AHEC Week of Service, from August 2-6, was a success.  Students were excited and eager to make a difference as they participated in volunteer community service projects at Nueva Vision, the Volunteers Serving the Need, and the Laredo Animal Protective Society.  The agencies and service recipients at the agencies were grateful for the time contributed by AHEC students as they assisted in several tasks to support the needs of the residents.  Students gathered and stocked, organized, cleaned, and arranged supplies at the various sites.  In addition, they prepared over 162 packages of food bags for veterans and community members in need.  Also, students took the initiative to make an impact on our furry four-legged friends by helping to maintain their living quarters, prepare meals, and packaged over 50 bags of pet food for the community. The “students service to the community, in a time that is fragile for everyone, is a way for students to give” expressed Julie Bazan, AHEC Executive Director “students are our future, and their kindness is amazing”. 

Visit the South Central AHEC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SouthCentralTexasAHEC/

Welcome Fall 2021 Interns: South Central AHEC welcomes Alyssa Ayala and Jesus Hernandez Alvarez for the Fall 2021 internship. Alyssa and Jesus will be joining us from UTSA and have shared a few words with us: 

My name is Alyssa Ayala, I am 21 years old and currently attending UTSA. I’m on my last semester of undergrad, majoring in health. I hope to continue my education at UIW and eventually get to work in hospital administration. I was born and raised in McAllen, Texas, but have been residing in San Antonio, Texas for about 3 years. 

I’m Jesus! I was born and raised in the beautiful Aguascalientes, Mexico. Sí señor! Although, I now reside in San Marcos, Texas. I'm currently a student at UTSA, majoring in Public Health. I enjoy watching horror movies and eating Hawaiian pizza, but above all, I enjoy spending time with my friends. I believe in service, community, respect, compassion, security, and I treasure freedom. I hate injustice, but I despise inequity even more. I aspire to be a vessel for my Latino community and empower them through health education to advocate for themselves inside and outside our healthcare system. 

We look forward to working with Alyssa and Jesus this semester and hope they have an enjoyable internship. 

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Public Health Camp: After a year-long hiatus due to the pandemic, we were able to resume our yearly summer camp for high school students. This July, we hosted over 15 high school students from across San Antonio to participate in our 10th annual Public Health Camp. Despite the significant changes to camp, we were still able to provide engaging and meaningful experiences for our students. Our students also produced a Capstone project at the end of the week that we hope to showcase at this year's 2021 Community Engagement Symposium. As we all learn to navigate through the challenges of a pandemic, we are grateful to have been able to host our camp and look forward to future opportunities to showcase the diversity in health careers to the next generation of healthcare leaders.

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Back-to-School Fairs: We participated in two back-to-school fairs over the summer, providing school supplies and valuable information for communities across South Texas.On July 31st, in partnership with the Neighborhood Place, South Central AHEC donated over 300 notebooks for children and distributed over 200 informational flyers to families across San Antonio's Westside during the drive-thru event. 


Following the event, on August 5th, we  participated in another back-to-school fair in partnership with Pearsall ISD, providing over 300 school supplies and resources for the families in Frio County.

Both events were a major success, and we look forward to participating in future events. 

AHEC Scholars Project: We want to highlight our AHEC Scholars working on a QI project assessing the COVID vaccine confidence within San Antonio’s South Asian population. Our Scholars have been diligently attending health fairs across San Antonio to collect surveys and have surveyed over 100 people. Following the completion of focus groups, the Scholars will take the results to disseminate around community leaders and present at local conferences and symposiums. We want to wish our Scholars success in every aspect of this project!

 

CEAL Update Regarding Delta Variant: The Bexar Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Team under the leadership of Dr. Robert Ferrer has created an informational flyer in English and Spanish about the Delta variant If you still have question regarding COVID, the CEAL team is available to host a virtual town hall.

For more information regarding the town hall please contact Paula Winkler winklerp@uthscsa.edu.

Cover 4 COVID Campaign (C4C): At the height of the pandemic, we launched a campaign to encourage the practice of CDC’s guidelines for COVID. As we now navigate through new challenges, we want to remind everyone to continue wearing your mask, washing your hands, and practice social distancing.

Check out our YouTube to learn more about COVID: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXlhvHhfvfGQpxDWhjdv8ZQ

 

Visit the South Coastal AHEC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/South-Coastal-AHEC-164097279738/

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2021 Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) Medical Mission: South Coastal AHEC, in partnership with the Department of Defense (DoD), Nueces County/Commissioner (JAG), Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, University of the Incarnate Word and other community organizations, participated in the 2021 Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) Medical Mission.

The collaborative program was designed to leverage military contributions and community resources in order to multiply and maximize value and cost savings for residents of the underserved and rural areas of Nueces County. Students from various disciplines including nursing, pharmacy, dental, health care administration, and social work came together to help make this event a huge success.

Through this activity, we were able to provide over 2500 Nueces County residents with a variety of greatly needed services including dental, vision, mental health, school physicals, and immunizations. 

 

Continuing Education Events

4th Annual Hospice Symposium: South Coastal AHEC, in partnership with Del Mar College successfully held the 4th Annual Hospice Symposium on June 23, 2021 via Zoom. The goal of this activity was to provide both medical professionals and community members with the opportunity to learn about hospice care and the important role it plays in our health care system. The conference featured expert presentations on a variety of topics including hospice and end-of-life care, palliative care, and coping/grief management strategies. We had over 60 attendees from a variety of medical disciplines including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, social work, and counseling.

1st Annual Medicine/Nursing/Pharmacy CE Quarterly: South Coastal AHEC, in partnership with Del Mar College and The Coastal Bend Society of Health System Pharmacists, successfully held its 1st Annual Medicine – Nursing – Pharmacy CE Quarterly on June 24, 2021.

The conference focused on the continued impact of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, advances in healthcare, technology, societal demands and their continued impact on disease state management and healthcare delivery systems. This Medicine-Nursing-Pharmacy CE Quarterly programing was designed to provide healthcare professionals with an opportunity to learn about working in multidisciplinary teams to ensure that each patient is managed based on best practices and current guidelines. We had over 55 attendees from medicine, pharmacy, nursing disciplines. 

SCAHEC, in partnership with CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital, continues to provide CME for the bimonthly Cardiovascular Journal Club Meetings. This interprofessional educational activity provides an opportunity for cardiologists and other interested healthcare providers to discuss current cases as well as learn about emerging research and innovations in the field of cardiovascular medicine. We are able to provide over 60 physicians with CME opportunities each month.

Monthly Food Distribution: South Coastal AHEC, in partnership with the Food Bank of Corpus Christi continues to hold its monthly food distribution for the residents of Orange Grove and surrounding rural areas. We were able to provide over 200 families and individuals with healthy food and various educational resources each month. We are grateful to all of our community partners and volunteers in helping us to make this event a continued success.

South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association Annual Conference: South Coastal AHEC, in partnership with Nueces County Commissioners Office, participated in the South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association Annual Conference on June 28 through July 1, 2021. The purpose of the conference was to the promote the interests of county government through continuing education and active participation in governmental affairs.

YOU LEARN! Educator Externship Program: On July 12, 2021, South Coastal AHEC, in partnership with Coastal Compass Education and Career Resource Center, presented to local educators across the South Texas area on the daily rigors of occupations in health care. The goal of the event was to create partnerships among workforce, industry and educators to develop an effective workforce system by establishing the connection between academic skills and the workplace. Elementary, middle and high school teachers and counselors were provided an opportunity to engage in activities designed to help them learn about skill sets in various career fields and how classroom content can be applied in the real world.

Let’s Enroll – Virtual Event: On July 22, 2021, in an effort to increase post-secondary attainment in our region, South Coastal AHEC participated in a virtual city-wide event to help folks in our community get enrolled in college for the Spring semester. This event was designed for first time students and nontraditional adult learners. South Coastal AHEC staff provided information and resources on careers in the health care field to over 60 local students.   

Salud y Vida: On July 29, 2021, South Coastal AHEC, in partnership with REAL, inc. provided an interactive opportunity for the community members of Alice, Kingsville, and Falfurrias to come together to talk and learn about the importance of healthy living and making healthy lifestyle choices; we were provided A1C screenings to over 25 community members. The Salud y Vida program continues to provide monthly education sessions on a variety of health topics including diabetes, healthy eating, and healthy stress management.

King High School Health Fair: On June 3, 2021 in partnership with Nueces County Commissioner John Martinez, AHEC was able to assist in providing free sports/athletic physicals for hundreds of Corpus Christi ISD Students at King High School.  Nursing students from Texas A & M Corpus Christi, our amazing local physicians and the AHEC CHWs created a wonderful atmosphere to help the local community prepare for the upcoming school year.  This event allowed future nurses the opportunity to sharping their skills!

 

Back-to-School Fairs

Nueces County:  In partnership with Nueces County Commissioners Court and local ISD’s, South Coastal AHEC has completed all back-to-school health events for Nueces County. We have been able to provide hundreds of UIL physical, back to school vaccines and COVID vaccinations to 12 different schools to provide much needed help to parents and students.   We are also extremely grateful to local vendors that came out and provided health information and school supplies.  This has been a win for us all!!

Driscoll Health Plan: In partnership with Driscoll Health Plan, Cricket and Planet 102.3, South Coastal AHEC Salud En Mis Manos Program participated in several Back-to-School Drive through that provided students with backpacks, folders, and several other types of school supplies. Salud En Mis Manos was able to promote and educate Hispanic and Latina women regarding prevention and early detection of breast and cervical cancer.  We are very proud of our promoteras for. 

San Patricio County: In partnership with San Patricio Public Health Department and Portland United Methodist Church, South Coastal AHEC and several other partners joined in a city-wide health fair that provided UIL Physicals for children, vision screenings, several types of vaccines back to school vaccines and covid vaccines.  South Coastal AHEC not only assisted with the health screens but was also providing information for breast and cervical cancer awareness through our SEMMx program and providing information and awareness of the COVID vaccines.

Port Aransas Health Clinic: On August 16, 2021, South Coastal AHEC partnered with the office of Commissioner Brent Chesney to host a immunization and athletic physicals clinic for the community and students of Port Aransas, Texas. We had a great turn out and provided physicals, COVID vaccines, and school supplies to over 75 students and community members.

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Almouie Pediatrics Back to School Drive Thru Event: On August 18, 2021 South Coastal AHEC participated in a drive back to school drive thru event hosted by Almouie Pediatrics.  Reaching 300 students providing them with essential supplies for the start of the new year, AHEC promoteras handed out supplies and providing information regarding prevention and earlier detection of breast and cervical cancer and COVID-19 information. 

 

 


Visit the LRGV AHEC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lrgv.ahec

No news to report at this time. 

Future Events & Learning Opportunities

 

Visit the Southwest Border AHEC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/southwestborder.ahec

Health Provider Spotlight: Southwest Border Area Health Education Center (AHEC) is seeking healthcare organizations within the Southwest Border AHEC region, that would like to be featured in the Healthcare Provider Spotlight Project! The goal for the project is to identify healthcare related community resources and increase awareness about healthcare and health professions. The objective is to fill the gaps by educating our community about medical services provided by organizations and at the same time familiarize our students with career options available in healthcare. If your organization is interested in being featured, please call Ilse Castro at 830.758.1111. You may also register here: https://forms.gle/optGq7L9pVHfW7DJ8

 

Visit the South Central AHEC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SouthCentralTexasAHEC/

 

September 27 – October 4, 2021: Dialog on Racial & Social Injustice in Medicine: UT Health Briscoe Library will be hosting the Living in My Skin art exhibit by a well-known San Antonio artist Lionel Sosa. On the project website, there is a link to a 2-part documentary that is a part of the project which also features over 30 oil-on-linen portraits. In addition, there is a recording available from a previous panel discussion with project participants that may offer some additional insight.

Since the library is still closed to the general public during the exhibit dates, those without current IDs to get into the library can view the exhibit online and take part in the conversation through our library social media accounts: FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

November 5-6, 2021: Community Engagement Symposium: Please mark your calendars for the annual Community Engagement Symposium. Scientific translation describes the process of taking research discoveries from basic laboratory science, clinical practice, and community into interventions for public health benefit. Community engagement is an important ingredient for the translation of research findings. This symposium will address how community-campus partnerships develop and engage for the successful conduct of research that leads to the translation of research discoveries for improved health and well-being.

Upcoming Webinar: Health Mis-and Disinformation from a Research, Clinical, and Community Perspective led in partnership by the University of Utah, the Institute for Integration of Medicine & Science at UT Health SA, and the South Central Area Health Education Center will be hosted on Tuesday, June 22, 2021 from 12:00 – 1:30 PM MDT. The webinar will be free and open to everyone. Please Register Today: https://redcap01.brisc.utah.edu/ccts/redcap/surveys/?s=ACDPLF3EL8

 

Visit the MRGB AHEC on Facebook at www.facebook.com/areahealtheducationcenter

Nothing to report at this time.

Visit the South Coastal AHEC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/South-Coastal-AHEC-164097279738/

   

Amistad Health Clinic: On September 14, 2021, South Coastal AHEC will be partnering with Amistad and Gulf Compress to assist in administration of COVID-19 Vaccinations.  This is upcoming event is aimed to educated and offer Covid Vaccination on site.  We are in hopes to have a fantastic turn out!!

South Coastal Promotoras: On September 24, 2021 South Coastal AHEC promotoras will be participating in an upcoming 22nd annual Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children Conference of 2021.  South Coastal AHEC will be out providing education of prevention and early detection of breast and cervical cancer along with information regarding information about COVID-19.  This event is brought to our communities by a combined effort of different organizations.  We are happy to be apar of it!!

6th Annual Innovations in Cardiovascular Care Conference: In partnership with CHRISTUS Spohn Health System, SCAHEC will be providing CME for 6th Annual Innovations in Cardiovascular Care Conference that will be held on October 15-16, 2021 in Corpus Christi. This annual conference will feature a series of accomplished national speakers who will be educating primary care physicians, cardiologists, nurses and other allied health professionals about some of the latest innovations and emerging trends in cardiovascular medicine.

2nd  Medicine/Nursing/Pharmacy CE Quarterly: South Coastal AHEC, in partnership with Del Mar College and The Coastal Bend Society of Health System Pharmacists, successfully held its 2nd Medicine – Nursing – Pharmacy CE Quarterly on September 30, 2021.

The conference will focus on the continued impact of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, advances in healthcare, technology, societal demands and their continued impact on disease state management and healthcare delivery systems. This Medicine-Nursing-Pharmacy CE Quarterly programing is designed to provide healthcare professionals with an opportunity to learn about working in multidisciplinary teams to ensure that each patient is managed based on best practices and current guidelines. We expect over 75  attendees from medicine, pharmacy, nursing disciplines. 

Visit the LRGV AHEC on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lrgv.ahec

Nothing to report at this time 

 

Attention Health Profession Students! The AHEC Scholars Program is Recruiting!

During the COVID-19 Pandemic ALL Activities will be conducted virtually. 

This program is an opportunity for health profession students, of all disciplines, to participate in interprofessional education (IPE) healthcare activities. Please note: we are unable to accept pre-health profession students at this time. 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, 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. Alternatively, please contact Andrea Moreno-Vasquez by e-mail at morenovasqua@uthscsa.edu or phone: 210-450-8451, for more information. 

 

Partner Announcements 

 

 

Health News

Salud America!

When it Comes to Climate Change, Latino Family Values Matter

Family is a critical aspect in the lives of many Latinos.

Moreover, research has shown that members of Latino families can heavily influence each other when it comes to physical, mental health and a wide range of political views.

Read more here. 

Scammers Target Latinos, Blacks More Than Other Groups

Latinos and other people of color are increasingly the targets of criminals who use the internet, phone, and text scams to steal money and damage wellbeing.

Read more here. 

 

South Texas Area Health Education Center Program Office
  UT Health - San Antonio
7703 Floyd Curl Drive | San Antonio, TX 78229 | 210-567-0482

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