School of Public Health

Dean Kurz honored by TPHA

April 23, 2013 • Uncategorized

For his efforts in helping Texas local public health departments prepare for national accreditation and to recognize his achievements toward reducing infant mortality across the state, SPH Dean Richard Kurz, PhD, has been named a Fellow of the Texas Public Health Association (TPHA) and received the organization’s President’s Award at the recent TPHA 2013 Professional Educational Conference in San Antonio.

In presenting the award, TPHA President Kaye Reynolds noted Dr. Kurz’ accomplishments in securing grant funding to survey accreditation readiness and identify challenges within the state, co-sponsoring educational conferences and providing recordings of the training sessions to make them accessible to a wide audience of public health professionals.

Dr. Kurz’ efforts to improve the infant mortality rate in Texas were also highlighted, most significantly the development of the nationally grant-funded Healthy Moms Healthy Babies Healthy Community (H3) initiative, which was invited to join the national Partnership to Eliminate Disparities in Infant Mortality Action Learning Collaborative (ALC). The ALC was developed through funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and a partnership of CityMatCH, the National Organization of Urban Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Leaders; the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs; and the National Healthy Start Association.

The TPHA is a non-profit, statewide association of public health professionals across Texas, founded in 1923 and affiliated with the American Public Health Association.

More than 30 SPH students also presented posters at this year’s TPHA conference.