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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 896
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WHEREAS, In just one year, The University of Texas |
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Community Outreach program has made a measurable difference in |
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the effort to prevent and control diabetes; and |
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WHEREAS, This outstanding program, also known as UTCO, |
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currently serves people in Cameron, Galveston, Nueces, and Webb |
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Counties who have diabetes or are at risk of developing the |
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disease; the program employs community health workers certified |
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by the Department of State Health Services to guide education, |
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nutrition, and physical activity interventions and achieved more |
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than 39,000 contacts between September of 2009 and November of |
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2010; and |
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WHEREAS, Economic savings and health impacts as a result of |
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this outreach have already been documented; a survey of |
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Brownsville clients revealed that only 40.9 percent met physical |
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activity guidelines without the intervention of a community |
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health worker, while 59.1 percent met the guidelines if a trained |
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community health worker from The University of Texas Community |
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Outreach program guided an intervention; in addition, |
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participants in the program have experienced decreases in blood |
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glucose levels, abdominal weight, and overall weight; and |
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WHEREAS, The average annual cost to treat an individual |
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with diabetes is $12,000; for a fraction of that, $21.50 per |
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at-risk individual per year, The University of Texas Community |
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Outreach program provides in-home prevention assistance, |
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screening and monitoring, media campaigns, exercise and |
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nutrition classes, and facilities; the average lifetime |
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treatment cost for a diabetic with end-stage renal disease is |
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$1.5 million, while the annual budget for reaching 80,000 people |
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in four counties through the community outreach program is only |
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$3 million; and |
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WHEREAS, A diabetes epidemic is overwhelming the state and |
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draining taxpayer funds; the low-cost University of Texas |
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Community Outreach model shifts the emphasis from treatment to |
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prevention, utilizing permanent local expertise and |
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infrastructure, and the program is indeed deserving of |
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recognition; the program's presentation at the recent Texas |
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Public Health Association annual meeting was designated as the |
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Outstanding Research Paper Presentation based on the outcomes |
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achieved in the prevention and control of diabetes; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd |
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Legislature, hereby honor The University of Texas Community |
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Outreach program for its achievements in promoting |
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community-based prevention and control of diabetes and obesity |
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and commend all those associated with the program for their |
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outstanding efforts; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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The University of Texas Community Outreach program as an |
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expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. |
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Lucio, Hinojosa, |
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Jackson, Zaffirini |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 3, 2011. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |