School of Public Health

And how did you spend YOUR summer?

July 7, 2014 • Uncategorized

Recent public health graduates and students from across the state are spending their summer helping Texas public health departments prepare for national accreditation.

Joining with representatives from the UNT Health Science Center (UNTHSC) School of Public Health are participants from Texas A&M University’s School of Rural Public Health.

As part of an accreditation readiness project led since 2011 by Principal Investigator (PI) Richard S. Kurz, PhD, Dean of the UNTHSC School of Public Health, the project represents voluntary accreditation efforts of state and local public health departments toward a national, cooperative Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) program called “Strengthening Public Health Infrastructure for Improved Health Outcomes.”

The goal is to help the American public health infrastructure become better prepared for the challenges facing today’s society, from chronic disease, infections and illness to bioterrorism, food safety, environmental issues and other man-made threats.

Students and new graduates are working this summer with Andrews County Health Department; Milam County Health Department; Waco/McLennan County Public Health District; Williamson County and Cities Health District; Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services; and Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District.

Representing UNTHSC are LaPorcha Carter (MPH ’14), working with Harris County, and Ronke Adewale (MPH ’15), working with Wichita Falls.