By Sally Crocker

Arthur Mora, PhD, MHA, and his wife are concerned.

With two young daughters ages 5 and 3 at home and a new baby on the way in just a few short weeks, the HSC School of Public Health Chair of Health Behavior and Health Systems says he and his wife are closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting strain on the healthcare system.

“Right now, we are doing everything we can to follow the guidance for keeping our family safe and well,” Dr. Mora said, “but a real concern for us, as with many other families like us, is the dwindling availability of hospital beds and resources as Texas and other states battle the spread of this virus and its devastating effects.”

Health workers on the front lines of care have also been hit hard by the disease, seriously impacting staffing. Physicians, nurses, EMTs and others have become ill or forced to self-quarantine after COVID-19 exposure.

In the U.S. and other countries, thousands of retired healthcare workers are being called back to duty, and just days ago the Texas Governor’s office took action for more support by approving certain categories of final-year nursing students and new graduates to onboard right away.

“Respirators are in short supply, as are hospital beds and intensive care space. In certain heavily impacted areas, workers are running out of masks and other protective equipment, resulting in adoption of CDC-recommended critical capacity measures.  During the most critical of shortages like this, healthcare providers may be forced to substitute homemade masks such as bandannas or scarves as a last resort if needed,” Dr. Mora said. “Elective hospitalizations have been cancelled and individuals with non-urgent medical needs are being asked to stay home and consult their personal providers, with the priority right now focused on treating COVID-19 patients and stopping further spread of the disease.”

During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Dr. Mora was working and caring for an ailing father in Southeast Louisiana and experienced firsthand how quickly health systems can become overwhelmed during crisis situations. That’s when alternative care settings may be introduced, such as tents, trailers, or as is currently the case with COVID-19, with Navy hospital ships deployed to assist at key locations like New York City and the West Coast

Intensive care services typically run at about 70% occupancy during normal times, Dr. Mora said, so it doesn’t take long to fill the remaining beds in a crisis that is growing at such a rapid rate as COVID-19.

“Lower-risk patients with unrelated medical conditions could also be moved to outlying facilities like smaller rural hospitals for their care,” he said. “All of these are emergency strategies that can be employed when demand surges and suddenly exceeds capacity.”

Telemedicine services are increasing as safe stay-at-home measures, and individual provider offices are rescheduling non-urgent appointments, giving patients the option to remain in their car rather than sit in waiting rooms for necessary visits, and requesting that patients come alone to their appointments.

The most important thing citizens can do, Dr. Mora said, is follow the guidance provided by their providers, public health officials, those leading the crisis response teams and reliable resources like the CDC website (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html).

For the Moras, with still weeks to go until their mid-April due date, the outlook is less than comforting, but they’re doing their best to manage the circumstances at hand.

They have also been challenged with developing a plan that considers out-of-state grandparents and other family members who want to be of help when the baby arrives.

“We are having some tough conversations right now because everyone wants to be here,” Dr. Mora said. “As parents, we have an obligation to protect our children, and we also want to keep our own parents and relatives as safe as possible. That means limiting our exposure to stay healthy for others we will come in contact with, including the healthcare providers who will be there for us very soon.”

“It’s a challenge for everyone right now, and public health authorities are warning that the COVID-19 epidemic is not expected to resolve very soon,” Dr. Mora said. “At this point, we are all just doing our best and dealing with it day by day.”

By Sally Crocker

As more kids find themselves homebound now that families across the country are practicing safe distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus, it may be important to increase, rather than limit, screen time for children and teens, say two researchers at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth School of Public Health.

Professors Dana M. Litt, PhD, and Melissa A. Lewis, PhD, have long been involved in research projects related to the impact and influences of social media on young adults.

In this current uncertain and challenging time, they say, people of all ages, and especially the young, can benefit greatly from staying connected with others virtually while they are on break from doing so in person.

“There are risks to isolation,” Dr. Litt said. “Anxiety, unease and missing your connections with friends, family and others can take a toll on well-being. For many young adults, communicating online is a major part of their social life, and especially so when they can’t be face-to-face with friends.”

As a mother of two young children ages 7 and 10, Dr. Lewis is allowing her kids more opportunity for FaceTime, online chats, safe and supervised online games, and other virtual activities.

“The current situation is affecting younger kids too,” Dr. Lewis said. “In place of play dates, more families are adopting an online approach. Your children will follow your lead. Let them know the seriousness of what we’re facing right now and offer them alternatives for staying close with their friends in new and different ways.”

To make St. Patrick’s Day more fun for younger kids in her neighborhood, Dr. Lewis and other parents organized a shamrock hunt, where families created and posted handcrafted designs that could be found in one person’s window, taped to someone else’s garage door or displayed in another easily visible spot. To date, the count is up to 37 shamrocks found and more to search for when families take safe, social-distanced walks together.

Her kids have also called out “happy birthday” to neighbor friends while walking by, and have ideas for dropping notes in different mailboxes to brighten people’s day.

“While physical distancing is what’s being called for right now,” Dr. Litt said, “we shouldn’t underestimate the basic human need for social support and interaction. Not only does it enrich our lives, it also keeps us happy and well.”

The same goes for elderly and extended family members, as well as close adult friends.

“People want to keep older relatives and the most vulnerable populations safe right now, but they also miss each other. My family is setting up some 30-minute video chat times, so we can see each other and not feel so far apart as we work through this,” Dr. Litt said.

She is also planning a virtual brunch with friends to replace their usual weekend get-togethers, and recommends that dinners and other regular activities could be scheduled that way for the time being, to help friends and other groups keep in touch.

With the possibility of continued church, restaurant and other closings, families may also want to rethink this year’s Easter plans to take activities virtual, both professors advise.

“It’s also a good time to move book clubs online, for both kids and adults,” Dr. Lewis said. “Not only are they fun and engaging, but they can also be a great way to help kids keep up with schoolwork while they are at home.”

The two HSC professors, who have worked together for 10 years since first meeting when Dr. Litt was selected for a postdoctoral fellowship under Dr. Lewis’ mentorship, consider themselves not just professional colleagues in their research and teaching but also friends, and the recent change to social distancing has been challenging for them as well.

“We’re work friends, but we are also like sisters,” Dr. Litt said. “We’ve gone on vacations together, we know each other’s families, we are together a lot, so this has been a big change for us too.  But as we’re working remotely now, we are also working hard to maintain our personal connection and a social schedule that keeps us close.”

“In addition to all the virtual tools we have available, there’s also the phone,” Dr. Lewis said. “We still talk to each other several times a day.”

By Sally Crocker

So you’ve heeded the warnings about the COVID-19 pandemic that has much of the world in lockdown right now.

You have the food and essentials you need.

You are set to work remotely, if that’s an option.

You’re avoiding large gatherings and listening to officials who advise that social distancing is best for the time being, which may be weeks or even months.

Now what?

“There are risks to healthy living that come with isolation, uncertainty and changes to our typical, everyday lives,” said Scott Walters, PhD, Regents Professor of Health Behavior and Health Systems at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (HSC) School of Public Health.

“We are all in uncharted territory. Our world hasn’t experienced something like this since the deadly H1N1 Spanish flu epidemic more than 100 years ago,” Dr. Walters said. “Nothing feels normal, and the way we’re being asked to go about our lives is unlike anything our connected, global society has been through before.”

The situation isn’t like those rare Texas snow days where roads are unsafe for travel and families stay home to catch up on movies, lounge in pajamas and enjoy a few days off.

“There can be a tendency to eat more, smoke and drink more, disengage from physical activities, glue yourself to the television, phone, computer or game device,” Dr. Walters said, “as well as drastically change your sleep patterns, maybe skip the daily shower and interrupt other normal ways you go about your life. All of this can lead to feelings of isolation, frustration and depression.”

In this time of uncertainty, there are coping mechanisms you can use as you protect yourself and help stop the spread of coronavirus.

First, stick to your normal routine as much as you can.

“Get up, get dressed and start your day as usual. Create a schedule of the things you want to accomplish for the day and the week, and write down some longer-term goals,” Dr. Walters advises. “Maybe you’re interested in painting or want to start a new hobby. Is there a book you’ve been waiting to start? How about that award-winning documentary buried at the bottom of your Netflix watchlist? This could be the right time to dive in,” he said.

Carving out structured office time is important too, especially if you’re transitioning to a remote work arrangement.

“People feel better when they have regular challenges and structure. When you engage in meaningful, focused work, you gain satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment,” Dr. Walters said. “The psychology around getting into your ‘flow,’ when you are immersed in an activity you’re skilled at or especially enjoy doing, allows everything else to fall away for a time, relieving stress and lifting your mood.”

Kids, too, can benefit from daily structure while off school.

“My family created a block schedule, so the kids have a variety of structured activities and less screen time. We have pre-determined times for being creative, and doing schoolwork and chores. Taking safe, social-distanced walks or bike rides together can make the day more fun and productive,” Dr. Walters said. “It does take work to keep up this level of structure, but the kids are happier at the end of the day.”

What about those who are missing social interactions with friends, coworkers and family members not living in the same household?

Try Skype, FaceTime and apps like Zoom and others for chats and online get-togethers, Dr. Walters suggests.

Try reconnecting with friends you haven’t spoken to in a while.

“People want and need to socialize,” he said.

On a long break, Dr. Walters once used the extra time to reconnect with old friends on social media. After scanning in boxes of old photographs, a task he’d been putting off, he posted several of them on Facebook, tagging friends he hadn’t seen in years, just to say “I’m thinking of you.”

“It was amazing,” he said. “People were so surprised and delighted to see those old pictures, and it led some of us to emails and longer online chats.”

Probably the best way to cope in this time of uncertainty is to think about the things you can do from home that make you happy and then do them.

“It’s important to remember that we will get through this,” Dr. Walters said. “Think about it this way, if you were to look back 60 days from now, what would you want to have accomplished during this time? Whatever that is, that’s what you should do now.”

By Sally Crocker

Stephan Davis, DNP, MHSA, FACHE, knows how it feels to want to be a part of making change happen.

The incoming director of the Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree program at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (HSC) was practicing as a registered nurse and just 21 years old when he entered a graduate program in health administration, after being inspired by the works of great American leaders and a professor who brought to life the vision that progress in the world takes both heart and leadership.

“The MHA degree, like many other avenues for advanced learning, is for people who want to take their experience and career to the next level,” Dr. Davis said. “They might be interested in moving up within their organization, taking on healthcare leadership roles of a local, national or even international scope, influencing health policy or serving others through public health administration. Whether the goal is to move up to the C-suite or advance your career in other significant ways, the MHA can help get you there.”

HSC’s residential MHA program has been recognized for its excellence in healthcare leadership education for several years, as one of the few programs in Texas, and the only program exclusively based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). The program is also active at local and national levels with the American College of Healthcare Executives, an international professional society of more than 48,000 top decision makers who lead hospitals, healthcare systems and other types of health organizations.

Now, with enrollment underway for the fall 2020 semester, HSC is introducing an online MHA, targeted to professionals in the healthcare sector who have a desire to build on their passions and make change in healthcare.

“Our program has demonstrated over the years that we can deliver high quality graduate education for the person who wants to do more and contribute to the healthcare field at an advanced level,” said Arthur Mora, PhD, Chair, Health Behavior and Health Systems at the HSC School of Public Health. “It seems natural that we would now want to leverage our successful MHA program toward an online learning option as well.”

U.S. News & World Report has called healthcare one of the fastest-growing industries in the country, due in part to advances in medical technology, changes in federal regulations affecting patients, hospitals and insurers, and increased healthcare demands of the country’s aging baby boomer population.

Healthcare occupations have been predicted to grow by 19% between 2014 and 2024, adding roughly 2.3 million new jobs across the U.S., with a strong outlook in management.

“While many people have healthcare experience, the industry trends now are calling for more leaders,” Dr. Mora said. “From the clinical nurse who wants to move up in management to physicians leading hospitals, more professionals are finding that a graduate degree like the MHA can build their competencies in new ways and make them more competitive in the workforce.”

HSC’s new online program focuses on building strengths in leadership, finance, project management, process improvement, data analytics and more. Applicants with at least two years of management or clinical experience in a healthcare setting, including hospitals, health plans, health systems and post-acute care, are likely candidates for the program. Classes can be accomplished completely online within three years, and the program works well to accommodate the often-challenging schedules of health professionals.

“Going back to school shouldn’t mean needing to leave your job to get it done,” Dr. Mora said. “That’s one of the real benefits of this new online program.”

Dr. Davis, who joins HSC in May, has found that to be very true in his own career. With a long background in healthcare, which encompasses direct care delivery, leadership for provider organizations, the insurance industry, education, consulting and serving on executive boards and task forces, he is now pursuing a second doctoral degree, primarily online at Johns Hopkins University. Like Hopkins, even with programs that are delivered online, HSC has local faculty who are available to meet with and provide advisement to students whether near or far.

“Graduate studies give you an edge and allow you to take your passions to the next level, whether the path brings you on campus or online,” Dr. Davis said. “Beginning this spring, I am looking forward to working with HSC’s current and future MHA students, along with alumni, as they pursue and continue to advance their passions as well.”

By Sally Crocker

Erika Thompson, PhD, MPH, was first drawn to science in the seventh grade, when her class watched and reflected on the docudrama film And the Band Played On, based on a book about people, politics and the AIDS epidemic of the early 1980s.

The HSC Assistant Professor of Health Behavior and Health Systems remembers learning that day about the outbreak’s impact and the public health responders and CDC epidemiologists who were on the front lines, searching to find solutions and save lives.

“The science of public health, and the way it merges with social justice, health policy and helping others, truly reflects discovery with a purpose. Even in grade school, it was easy to see the importance of this type of work,” Dr. Thompson said.

Today, Dr. Thompson is being recognized as a leader in her field, to be honored in March 2020 with the prestigious Judy K. Black Early Career Research Award from the American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB).

Each year AAHB considers whether one early-career health behavior researcher is worthy of the Black award. The award is intended to recognize younger scholars who are expected to make major contributions to scientific knowledge and professional practice during their career. Since its inaugural year in 2006, only nine outstanding scholars nationwide have received this honor.

Dr. Thompson holds an MPH degree in epidemiology and a PhD in public health, along with graduate certificates in biostatistics and maternal and child health epidemiology.

Her research is in sexual and reproductive health, and women’s and children’s health, with a primary focus on HPV vaccination, HPV prevention and contraception. Her work has been published in more than 60 peer-reviewed articles, many of which are high-impact journals, including the American Journal of Public Health, JAMA Pediatrics, Preventive Medicine, American Journal of Preventive Medicine and Women’s Health Issues.

In receiving the AAHB award at the organization’s annual conference, Dr. Thompson will present a study she recently co-authored with HSC research colleagues Dr. Dana Litt, Dr. Stacey Griner and Dr. Melissa Lewis on risks of alcohol-exposed pregnancies related to heavy-episodic drinking and contraceptive use among women ages 18-20.

“Since Dr. Thompson joined the School of Public Health faculty in 2018, I have been impressed with her work and enthusiasm as a health behavior scientist,” said Dr. Dennis Thombs, SPH Dean. “She has led several externally-funded research projects of high importance, including evaluation of a child sexual abuse prevention program, a systems examination of family homelessness and other projects related to childhood education. She recently received National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to examine contraceptive use among women experiencing homelessness, and her success as an early-career faculty member truly exemplifies her dedication to the field.”

As Director of the HSC’s MPH Maternal and Child Health program, teaching and community engagement are also a big part of Dr. Thompson’s work.

“The most rewarding part of what I do is collaborate with phenomenal community members and colleagues to try to solve public health problems, along with helping to train public health students who will be assuming those types of roles in the near future,” she said.

Mentors and role models can be key in career development and finding your path, Dr. Thompson believes, as evidenced by those who have influenced and encouraged her own direction over the years.

Especially in a world where women represent less than 30% of researchers, science is not always the career choice among girls and women. The strength of one’s social networks and access to champions and guides are important.

From that seventh grade science teacher, her professors, colleagues and research collaborators over the years to her own mother, a longtime educator and soon-to-retire elementary principal, Dr. Thompson values the advice and lessons she’s gained from each one. Her mom, in fact, was her own fifth grade teacher, with a way of making learning experiences both applied and fun.

“She once transformed the classroom into a rainforest to talk about the eco system,” Dr. Thompson said. “In my own teaching, I often try to channel that type of creativity and consider how she would approach it.”

“I feel fortunate in having known many strong, successful female role models along the way who have made me feel like, yes, I can do this,” Dr. Thompson said. “I am very grateful for the opportunities to learn from them, because the job we do in public health is about working with good people together as a team.”

By Sally Crocker

MHA student Paridhi Sheth came up with a big idea that paid off well for healthcare administration students from the Health Science Center and around the North Texas area.

Her brainchild was to bring HSC School of Public Health students together with peers from other universities as part of an event planning and community engagement experience, to develop a program for networking with and learning from established, successful professionals in the local healthcare industry.

The DFW Healthcare Student Summit was born when Sheth recruited a planning committee of 15 student leaders from HSC, Texas Christian University, UT Dallas and Texas Woman’s University, resulting in a recent, North Texas-wide, half-day program featuring health leadership speakers and career-exploration workshops focused around the theme of “Leading Change in Healthcare.”

“This was truly an event by students for students,” Sheth said. “The speakers and breakout presenters, as well as the mid-cities location, food, program materials and event logistics, were all developed around the needs of local students, to provide insightful career-planning information and industry highlights.”

Response was phenomenal for a first-time event of this kind. The program sold out at 120 registrations, with 30 more on the waitlist. Students from as far as Oklahoma drove in for the program, and attendee feedback indicated that events like this would be welcomed again in the future.

Speakers represented the American College of Healthcare Executives North Texas Chapter and Texas Health Resources as lead partners, as well as Baxter International, Baylor Scott and White Health, BDP Consulting, The Beck Group, BKD CPAs and Advisors, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Fresenius Medical Care, HSC, JPS Health Network, naviHealth, Sound Physicians, Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas, TWU, UT Dallas and UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Two HSC School of Public Health alumni – Ahmad Sharif, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Information Officer for Fresenius, and Rohit Ojha, DrPH, Director, JPS Center for Outcomes Research – offered support both during the program planning and as event-day participants.

“We really appreciate the efforts of Dr. Sharif and Dr. Ojha for reconnecting with their roots and acting as servant leaders for their alma mater,” Sheth said.

HSC MHA students joining Sheth in getting this new idea off the ground were Londyn Beal, Daniela Figueroa, Colson Files and Stephanie Rosenwinkel.

“I am so pleased to say that their hard work and perseverance produced an outstanding event,” said HSC Health Behavior and Health Systems Chair Arthur M. Mora, PhD, MHA. “I could not be prouder of our students.”

The campus community mourns the passing of UNTHSC School of Public Health Professor David Sterling, PhD, CIH, ROH, who said goodbye surrounded at home by family after a courageous and lengthy battle with cancer.

Dr. Sterling was a beloved Biostatistics and Epidemiology Department professor who touched the lives of many students and contributed in important ways to the field of public health and the good of the community over a career that spanned more than 35 years.

He joined UNTHSC in 2008, serving in different roles over the last 11 years, including Research Fellow with the UNTHSC Institute for Patient Safety; Interim Chair, Department of Epidemiology; Professor and Chair, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health; Research Affiliate with The Texas Prevention Center and Center for Community Health; Director, Doctoral PhD Program in Public Health Sciences; and School of Public Health P&T Committee.

For 18 years, Dr. Sterling led the Asthma 411 initiative, a comprehensive, school-based program to improve outcomes for children with asthma. He first initiated Asthma 411 in St. Louis between 2002 and 2008 with support from the CDC. One of his most noted accomplishments at UNTHSC was the continued development, adaption and dissemination of Asthma 411 in Fort Worth for students in grades pre-K through 12.

In 2013, a two-school, two-year pilot of Asthma 411 was conducted in Fort Worth. Based on positive outcomes the program was expanded, is now adopted by 10 districts with over 230,000 students, and is supported by a consortium of area healthcare partners.

In 2018, the Asthma 411 team was recognized with a Fort Worth Business Press Healthcare Heroes award for the work being done to address the high rates of this growing national public health concern, by educating school-based healthcare providers, parents and caregivers on asthma management strategies for both home and school.

Dr. Sterling was named as a Fellow of the American Industrial Hygiene Association in 2017.

He was honored with the UNTHSC President’s Award for Educational Excellence in 2011 and was inducted into the Delta Omega national honorary society for public health in 2012.

With a PhD in Environmental and Occupational Health Science, an MS in Environmental Health and Industrial Hygiene, and a BS in Biological Sciences, Dr. Sterling began his career as a Research Chemist at the Illinois Institute of Technology, ITT Research Institute, in Chicago in 1984. His work addressed industrial hygiene, ambient and indoor air quality, asbestos, odor science and hazardous waste and materials.

He joined the faculty at Old Dominion University, College of Health Sciences, in 1987, serving as Assistant Professor and Assistant Director for Programs in Environmental Health, College of Health Sciences.

From 1993 to 2008, he served on the faculty and as Program Director of the graduate Environmental and Occupational Health concentration at Saint Louis University School of Public Health and Social Justice, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Internal Medicine’s Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Occupational Medicine. He was also founder and Co-Director for the Midwest OSHA Educational Training Center at Saint Louis University.

Dr. Sterling was a member of the American Conference of Governmental and Industrial Hygiene, the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology and the International Society for Exposures Science.

In 2011, he was appointed to the National Board of Public Health Examiners’ committee overseeing design of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) Certification in Public Health (CPH) exam.

He regularly served on National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other grant peer-review committees and served on the editorial board of the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health.

His numerous publications have focused on topics including asbestos-exposed workers; Parkinson’s disease in welders; air pollution and health; and NICHD-funded National Children’s Study research into the effects of environmental exposures on health from birth to age 16.

In what has been called one of the most comprehensive studies into environmental contamination from metal mining, Dr. Sterling and a team of physicians, scientists and students conducted five years of research into La Oroya, Peru, where a metal smelter mining lead, copper, zinc, silver and gold has been in almost continuous operation since 1922.

Of all his achievements, Dr. Sterling seemed most proud of his work in mentoring students to their own personal success. Over the years, he provided guidance and support to lead students toward meaningful careers in public health and research, as well as academic honors, national awards and publication in many peer-reviewed journals.

“We all hope to leave behind a legacy,” said UNTHSC School of Public Health Dean Dennis Thombs, PhD, “and one of the true measures of a person’s success is what is given to others during our lifetime. Dr. Sterling will be greatly missed by the campus community and all those he touched over his life and his career.”

Messages and condolences for the family can be delivered to the School of Public Health Dean’s office, EAD 749.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that those wishing to honor Dr. Sterling’s memory consider a contribution to the Asthma 411 program. Please visit https://www.unthsc.edu/give, choose “Give Now,” then use the “Designation” drop-down box for “Other” and specify “Asthma 411 in memory of Dr. David Sterling.”

By Sally Crocker

Great things happen when community partners work together, and the collaborations between the UNTHSC School of Public Health and various local organizations continue to grow stronger as more is done to impact the community in different ways.

Two years ago, local organizations were invited to campus to meet with SPH faculty and staff for networking and exploring community engagement and volunteer service opportunities, as well as ways of working together on research, special projects and other initiatives benefitting North Texas citizens.

Carol Klocek honored by SPH

That year, the SPH contributed 500 hours of community service to various agencies and programs, and since the matches and partnerships were formed, SPH community service has continued to build in a major way, jumping 168% in 2019 to more than 1,330 contributed service hours.

In recognition, partnering agencies and SPH faculty and staff who went above and beyond in their community service commitments during 2019 were recently honored at a follow-up event for all they are doing to make North Texas healthier.

Two special partner awards were presented to community leaders representing the Center for Transforming Lives and JPS Health Network.

Carol Klocek, CEO of the Center for Transforming Lives, was honored for her leadership and commitment to helping local women and their children escape poverty and homelessness.

The Center works to break the cycle of generational poverty for Tarrant County women with children though homeless services, early childhood education and financial education. Under Klocek’s leadership since 2009, the Center has expanded to serve thousands of women and children, and the agency’s operating budget has grown to more than $9 million with nearly 100 full-time employees.

Klocek was nominated by SPH faculty member Erika Thompson, PhD, for her organization’s work as well as her willingness to collaborate on research and service learning projects with SPH students.

Community partner honoree Dr. Rohit Ojha with SPH Dean Dennis Thombs

Also honored as an Outstanding Community Partner was Rohit P. Ojha, DrPH, who directs the Center for Outcomes Research at JPS Health Network.

A 2010 DrPH graduate of the SPH, Dr. Ojha was recruited by JPS in 2016 to establish the Center and serve as its Director.

His department studies the clinical, lifestyle and behavioral factors that can impact health outcomes of underserved populations. The goal is to build a healthier community for individuals and families across the JPS service area.

Working with Tarrant County Public Health and other area healthcare organizations and providers, Dr. Ojha’s team also collaborates with UNTHSC, offering learning and research project opportunities for SPH epidemiology and biostatistics graduate students.

Dr. Ojha was nominated for his award by SPH Biostatistics and Epidemiology Chair Sumihiro Suzuki, PhD.

In addition to the Outstanding Community Partner awards, SPH faculty and staff honored as heroes for their extra community service efforts during 2019 included Dr. Dana Litt, Danielle Rohr, Dr. Erica Stockbridge, Dr. Erika Thompson, Dr. Misty Smethers, Dr. Thad Miller and recent UNTHSC retiree Ywanda Carter.

By Sally Crocker

Mahbuba Khan with her award-winning poster

Two SPH epidemiology students were honored for their work at the recent American Public Health Association (APHA) annual meeting and expo in Philadelphia.

The event’s theme was “Creating the Healthiest Nation: For science. For action. For health.”

The annual conference represents one of the largest annual gatherings of public health professionals in the U.S.

Thousands attend, and thousands of new abstracts are presented each year, making the APHA annual meeting one of the most influential meetings in public health.

Recently, two UNTHSC School of Public Health Epidemiology students, under the mentorship of faculty member Karabi Nandy, PhD, received national recognition for their work.

Dr. Karabi Nandy with Ashvita Garg

The Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) Program Planning and Awards Committee presented the ATOD Award for Outstanding Student Poster to Epidemiology doctoral student Ashvita Garg for her presentation on “Correlates of Intent to Quit Smoking Among Dual Users of Electronic and Combustible Cigarettes: A Population Based Sample of the United States.” Epidemiology doctoral student Noah Peeri and Biostatistics master’s student Bingchun Wan were also involved in this work.

2019 MPH Epidemiology graduate Mahbuba Khan was selected as winner of the Best Student Abstract award by the Caucus on Homelessness Poster Section Committee for her abstract, “Factors Associated with Medication Adherence Among Persons in Permanent Supportive Housing,” based on the work of UNTHSC’s technology-assisted m.chat health coaching program. SPH faculty members Dr. Rajesh Nandy and Dr. Scott Walters were also involved in this work.

“We are very proud of the APHA honors these students received,” said Dr. Dennis Thombs, SPH Dean. “The awards represent hard work and important studies in public health, and the annual APHA conference is most certainly a significant opportunity for presenting that work.”

By Sally Crocker

Some travel by sleigh high above the rooftops in the month of December, while others choose a different route.

Recently, the message of holiday friendship, caring and service came by trucks, bags and overstuffed boxes from the U.S. to families in need at two small elementary schools on the outskirts of Piedras Negras in the northeastern Mexican desert, where health services and many necessities of daily living can be scarce.

For 13 years, UNTHSC School of Public Health Associate Professor Thad Miller, DrPH, and his family have volunteered with the larger mission this holiday express is part of, traveling to tiny rural communities across the harsh Chihuahua desert to staff temporary clinics and provide medical and dental treatment and other support to the local villagers.

The Millers have participated in the holiday trips for the last three years, taking one day each December to deliver good spirit, warm clothing and children’s special gifts along with the needed healthcare services and medicines.

This recent visit was facilitated by the International Rotary Club’s Piedras Negras Chapter, whose members met the surrogate Santas as they crossed the border.

Dr. Miller served as volunteer pharmacy technician while his wife Kelly, a North Texas pediatrician and TCOM graduate, treated schoolchildren as well as many of their infant siblings and parents.

Overall, the Feliz Navidad team served about 50 children and 10 adults between two schools in one day.

“On the day we come no class is held, all the children dress up in their very best clothes, and their mothers, younger siblings, grandparents and sometimes fathers attend,” Dr. Miller said.  “The kids are so excited. First we do the clinic, then it becomes more like a festival day – this year we brought pizza, a rare treat for the children, and a piñata, and the families brought all of us volunteers homemade tamales and charro beans as gifts in return.”

Fredericksburg and New Braunfels-area Rotarians provided the toys, along with blankets and clothing, assuring that each child received something personal and special.

The Miller family contributed their own gifts of knitted hats made by Dr. Miller’s sister, whose family has also been a part of various Mexico mission trips over the years.

“Temperatures run quite cold this time of year and there is a real lack of warm clothes among many families, so these items are much appreciated,” Dr. Miller said.

By mid-afternoon, the volunteers left the kids playing with their new dolls, crafts, footballs, soccer balls and other presents as they packed up to head home.

Tired but still in the holiday spirit, they crossed the border around 5 p.m. and arrived home by midnight.

“It was a very long day to be sure,” Dr. Miller said, “but rewarding as always.”