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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The West Texas Area Health Education Center Program |
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has improved access to health care in more than 100 counties through |
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the education and development of the medical workforce; and |
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WHEREAS, West Texas is one of the most medically underserved |
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regions in the United States; with a predominantly rural population |
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of approximately 2.8 million people, it encompasses a land mass |
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larger than all but four of the states; 64 of its counties have been |
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designated as Health Professions Shortage Areas, and another 15 |
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have a partial county or population HPSA designation; the West |
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Texas Area Health Education Center Program, since its founding in |
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2002, has sought to address the health care provider shortage by |
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increasing the number of future rural health care providers and |
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supporting the retention of professionals currently practicing; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Established by the Texas Tech University Health |
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Sciences Center, F. Marie Hall Institute of Rural and Community |
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Health, the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program |
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coordinates the efforts of educational institutions, health care |
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providers, communities, and counties; the program's five centers, |
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located in Abilene, Amarillo, El Paso, Midland, and Plainview, are |
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hosted by local organizations in partnership with the Texas Tech |
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University Health Sciences Center; they belong to a national |
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network of Area Health Education Centers, which was created by |
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Congress in 1971 to enhance access to quality health care, |
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particularly primary and preventive care, by recruiting, training, |
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and retaining health care professionals for communities with |
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critical needs; and |
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WHEREAS, Because young people raised in underserved settings |
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are more likely than others to consider practicing in such a |
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setting, the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program |
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educates local schoolchildren about careers in the medical field, |
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prepares them for these opportunities and encourages their |
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progress, and conducts targeted outreaches to minorities, now |
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underrepresented in the health care professions; its |
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community-based clinical training programs introduce health care |
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professions students to underserved communities while enhancing |
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the ability of those communities to recruit new professionals; in |
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addition, the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program |
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provides health needs assessment and planning, coalition building, |
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and strategic prioritization to avert future personnel shortages |
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and to ensure that the current workforce is well trained; and |
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WHEREAS, Improved access to high-quality health care |
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strengthens communities, and the West Texas Area Health Education |
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Center Program has greatly benefited quality of life and economic |
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development in the region; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor the West Texas Area Health Education |
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Center Program for its outstanding contributions in behalf of the |
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residents of West Texas and extend to all those associated with the |
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program sincere best wishes for continued success in their vital |
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endeavors; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the West Texas Area Health Education Center Program as |
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an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |