Donate to UT System Population Health

We thank you for considering a donation to one of our UT System Population Health activities.  Although many of our projects are funded through state or federal grants or contracts, many are not fully funded and other projects do not have sustainable funding to support ongoing work.  There are six categories of activities that are in need of funds and they are described below.  If you would like to donate online, you can do so using the “Donate Now” button.  If you prefer to donate via check or through a 501(c)(3), please see below instructions*.  For all check donations, refer to the project that the donation is intended for in the memo section.

TEXAS HEALTH JOURNAL

The Texas Health Journal is an ongoing digital effort to tell the story of how the 14 institutions that make up the University of Texas System are improving the health of the people of Texas and expanding the base of health knowledge and practice on a national and international scale. It is produced by population health scholars under the supervision of the population health communication team.  Donations will support students and staff time involved with compiling the Texas Health Journal, and expenses associated with the THJ website and travel to compile stories.

POPULATION HEALTH SCHOLARS PROGRAM

The purpose of the University of Texas System Population Health Scholars Program is to develop the next cadre of population health professionals and to build capacity for population health work in Texas and beyond. In this unique professional development program, scholars are matched with mentors who provide hands-on training across a range of disciplines and methodologies that can be applied to address the health needs of populations. This program is a unique bridge that connects academia and practice, with a focus on using evidence-based practices to improve population health. The goal is to complement scholars’ academic training with practical experience in population health.  Donations will support salaries for Population Health scholars.

ELIMINATE TOBACCO USE

The Eliminate Tobacco Use initiative is a collaborative of all 14 UT academic and health institutions to address the public health burden of tobacco. Since its inception, it has worked closely with key tobacco control partners, including the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids®, the Truth Initiative, Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights, and Smoke Free Texas. Currently, there are more than 207,912 staff, students and dependents covered under the UT System’s Select Medical plan who are influenced by the Eliminate Tobacco Use Initiative.  The initiative has expanded to include other institutions within and outside of Texas.  The group had an annual summit to discuss strategies and resources and ongoing working meetings and on-site technical assistance to institutions to improve tobacco policies, prevention activities and cessation services. Donations will support the annual summit, the Eliminate Tobacco resource website and on-site technical assistance to Texas colleges and universities.

PEDIATRIC BRAIN HEALTH

The pediatric brain health initiative is a multi-sector, multi-agency collaboration focused on the prenatal to three-year old developmental window. The purpose of the initiative is to use the current science on pediatric brain development to help inform and support programs that promote community resilience and optimal early development in Texas’ children. Further, the initiative will work towards educating community partners and the public about the importance of promoting early brain health as a building block for promoting long-term health for Texans. Funds donated towards this initiative will go towards the Pediatric Brain Health Summit and activities focused on educating community partners.  

TEXAS COLLABORATIVE FOR HEALTHY MOTHERS AND BABIES

The Texas Collaborative for Healthy Mothers and Babies (TCHMB) is a multidisciplinary network made up of health professionals throughout the state whose mission is to advance health care quality and patient safety for all Texas mothers and babies.  The mission of the TCHMB is to advance health care quality and patient safety for all Texas mothers and babies, through the collaboration of health and community stakeholders in the development of joint quality improvement (QI) initiatives, the advancement of data-driven best practices, and the promotion of education and training.  Donations will help support the annual TCHMB summit and supplement the QI initiatives.

GENERAL POPULATION HEALTH INITIATIVES

The population health initiatives include compilation of health indicator reports,  support to the Texas Health Improvement Network (THIN), and other workgroups, such as the mental health workgroup.  Donations will be used towards staff and student time to compile reports, convene collaborative meetings, and research and compile information to support activities for the workgroups.  Additionally, donations will go towards supporting meetings, website and printing expenses.