UTEP receives US$200,000 to promote health fairs

EL PASO – The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) received a $200,000 grant from Direct Relief to expand H.O.P.E. health fairs and education services to the homeless and uninsured in the border county.

The work will be conducted under the direction of Eva M. Moya, Ph.D., associate professor of social work, and Guillermina Solis, Ph.D., associate professor of nursing, UTEP reported.

Since 2016, UTEP’s College of Health Sciences and schools of Nursing and Pharmacy have collaborated with dozens of community partners to host H.O.P.E. (Health, Opportunity, Prevention, Education) health fairs at the Homeless Opportunity Center in downtown El Paso.

The clinics are staffed by students, social work faculty and health professionals from the university and provide health screenings, referrals, immunizations, disease prevention and education to hundreds of homeless individuals each year.

Beginning in April 2022, the services will be enhanced by the School of Nursing’s mobile unit, which seeks to bring resources to underserved El Paso communities in San Elizario, the northeast part of the city, and Segundo Barrio in the downtown area.

According with Moya, the new H.O.P.E.+ initiative, which now stands for “Homeless, Outreach, Prevention, Education and More,” could benefit more than 600 adults in need throughout 2022.

The funds will also be used to employ a program manager, a graduate research assistant and community health workers or peer advocates who will assist with outreach and referral services.

In addition, the grant will help procure supplies for eight community health fairs, including participant incentives and personal protective equipment. UTEP is one of 49 awardees to receive a grant from Direct Relief’s Health Equity Fund.

Source: MEXICONOW Staff