The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing Center for Health Equity Research

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Mental Health Awareness

Thank you for being a part of the biggest mental health awareness event in Central Texas!

Dr. Shalonda Horton, nurse practitioner, Tara Hutson, church lay health workers and volunteers.

Every dollar raised supports NAMI’s mission to help people and families affected by mental illness–here and across the country. Together, we are making a difference!

By taking part in NAMIWalks Austin event, we became a part of NAMI’s national movement to build better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. We joined thousands of teams and tens of thousands of participants at close to 100 different walk sites to raise upwards of 12 million dollars in unrestricted funds for NAMI state organizations and local affiliates this year. This money will be used by NAMI in our community to host education programs and support groups, provide mental health trainings, and advocate for access to services.

The Rehoboth Baptist Church, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, and UT Austin School of Nursing NAMI team raised $1,100.00, 220% of our goal. We had 25 walkers registered online and at least 28-30 walkers at the event. Thank you to our team leader, Dr. Shalonda Horton, nurse practitioner, Tara Hutson, church lay health workers and volunteers!

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HER Team Celebrates CHWs by Participating in Two Important Events

On April 3, 2019, Miyong Kim, PhD, RN, FAAN along with members of Department of Population Health at Dell Medical School and other leaders in community health held an education session for legislators and aides at the Capitol to inform them about the crucial work Community Health Workers and Promotores do to improve the health and lives of our diverse communities. On March 26, 2019, Representative Evelina Ortega introduced HB2091 to categorize services provided by a Promotora or Community Health Worker under the STAR Medicaid managed care program as a quality improvement cost instead of an administrative expense.

On April 8, 2019, First Lady Cecilia Abbott honored hundreds of promotores and community health workers (CHWs) from across Texas as she read the Proclamation to recognize April 8th as Community Health Worker Day on the South Steps of the Capitol building in Austin. In addition, both the Texas Senate and the Texas House of State Representatives of the 86th Legislature have issued Resolutions recognizing the 20th anniversary of Promotores and Community Health Workers. Texas Governor, Greg Abbott is the first Governor in the nation to issue a Proclamation acknowledging the dedicated service of Promotores and Community Health Workers.

Miyong Kim, PhD, RN, FAAN
Moderator & Panelists at the CHWs event held on April 3
Austin Capitol Building
First Lady Cecilia Abbott honoring promotores & CHWs on April 8

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The LaVerne Gallman Distinguished Lectureship in Nursing Video: Featuring Dr. William Tierney

The LaVerne Gallman Distinguished Lectureship in Nursing video featuring The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School’s William Tierney, M.D., Department of Population Health and two of his colleagues; Dr. Dinah Chelagat, Dean, Moi University School of Nursing and Dr. Lukoye Atwoli, Dean, Moi University School of Medicine from a program he started in Kenya many years ago called the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH). Together they will speak about the experience of creating this very successful global research collaboration.

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Bridge Builders: Closing the knowledge gap in self-management of chronic illnesses

Miyong Kim, PhD, RN, FAAN, wasn’t about to let the grass grow under her feet once she arrived at The University of Texas at Austin in 2013. Determined from the outset to make a difference in the burgeoning health inequalities that exist in Central Texas and across the state, the renowned nurse scholar and educator went to work and in less than a year had received National Institutes of Health funding for a P30 Core Center in Self Management of Chronic Illness.