Bill Text: TX SR343 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled

Texas Senate Resolution 343 (Prior Session Legislation)

Enrolled

Bill Title: Honoring the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Passed) 2011-02-22 - Reported enrolled [SR343 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-SR343-Enrolled.html


	SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 343
	WHEREAS, The West Texas Area Health Education Center
	Program has improved access to health care in more than 100
	counties through the education and development of the medical
	workforce; and

	WHEREAS, West Texas is one of the most medically
	underserved regions in the United States; with a predominantly
	rural population of approximately 2.8 million people, it
	encompasses a land mass larger than all but four of the states; 64
	of its counties have been designated as Health Professions
	Shortage Areas, and another 15 have a partial county or
	population Health Professions Shortage Areas designation; the
	West Texas Area Health Education Center Program, since its
	founding in 2002, has sought to address the health care provider
	shortage by increasing the number of future rural health care
	providers and supporting the retention of professionals
	currently practicing; and

	WHEREAS, Established by the Texas Tech University Health
	Sciences Center, F. Marie Hall Institute of Rural and Community
	Health, the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program
	coordinates the efforts of educational institutions, health care
	providers, communities, and counties; the program's five
	centers, located in Abilene, Amarillo, El Paso, Midland, and
	Plainview, are hosted by local organizations in partnership with
	the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; they belong to
	a national network of Area Health Education Centers, which was
	created by Congress in 1971 to enhance access to quality health
	care, particularly primary and preventive care, by recruiting,
	training, and retaining health care professionals for
	communities with critical needs; and

	WHEREAS, Because young people raised in underserved
	settings are more likely than others to consider practicing in
	such a setting, the West Texas Area Health Education Center
	Program educates local schoolchildren about careers in the
	medical field, prepares them for these opportunities and
	encourages their progress, and conducts targeted outreaches to
	minorities, now underrepresented in the health care professions;
	its community-based clinical training programs introduce
	students in health care professions to underserved communities
	while enhancing the ability of those communities to recruit new
	professionals; in addition, the West Texas Area Health Education
	Center Program provides health needs assessment and planning,
	coalition building, and strategic prioritization to avert future
	personnel shortages and to ensure that the current workforce is
	well trained; and

	WHEREAS, Improved access to high-quality health care
	strengthens communities, and the West Texas Area Health
	Education Center Program has greatly benefited quality of life
	and economic development in the region; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd
	Legislature, hereby honor the West Texas Area Health Education
	Center Program for its outstanding contributions in behalf of the
	residents of West Texas and extend to all those associated with
	the program sincere best wishes for continued success in their
	vital endeavors; and, be it further

	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
	prepared for the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program
	as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate.

	Duncan



		________________________________
		President of the Senate

		I hereby certify that the
		above Resolution was adopted by
		the Senate on February 22, 2011.



		________________________________
		Secretary of the Senate



		________________________________
		Member, Texas Senate