City, HSC form agreement to advance public health initiatives, address health care disparities in Fort Worth

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The City of Fort Worth and The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (HSC) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to formalize the two entities’ commitment to working together, leveraging resources to advance Fort Worth public health, especially as it relates to issues of disparities in health care.

The agreement affirms the strong partnership that already exists between the City and HSC by introducing systems to enhance communication and built-upon joint efforts. This will include creating designated points of contact for communication within each organization and establishing methods for increased information-sharing to support data-driven programs and policies.

“The issues around public health are too large and multi-faced for the City to solve alone,” Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said. “Powerful partnerships are absolutely imperative as we work to implement meaningful programs and policies, and leveraging the innovative work and expertise of the brilliant people at HSC to help move the needle just makes sense.”

The agreement will open doors to data-sharing opportunities between the two entities, which the City aims to use to enhance existing data-driven approaches to its programs. One example is expanding the annual selection of a community for the “Neighborhood Improvement Project” to include a health component and better understanding of which communities are disproportionately affected by diseases and health conditions.

“When it comes to public health and improving the health and well-being of Fort Worth, the path to true progress is built through collaboration,” said David Mansdoerfer, HSC Special Assistant to the President. “Building upon an already strong relationship, HSC is excited to continue the journey of improving the lives of Fort Worth residents’ arm-in-arm with the city.”

Increased collaboration is also expected to help leverage federal funding opportunities for both entities.

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