New Mexico Office of Border Health

News and Events

Education, Communications and Operational Strategies to Reduce Child and Adolescent Obesity in the Binational Paso del Norte Region on October 5, 2011

The New Mexico Office of Border Health (NM-OBH), working together with the Texas Office of Border Health, and the Mexican Section’s Chihuahua State Coordinating Office (CSCO) convened an on October 5, 2011. This event incorporated key stakeholder organizations throughout their shared binational border region, including members of the Paso del Norte Binational subcommittee, staff of the U.S. and Mexican Section Offices of the BHC, the Pan American Health Organization, Doña Ana Diabetes Outreach Coalition, Southern New Mexico Diabetes Outreach, Paso del Norte Health Foundation, El Paso Diabetes Association, New Mexico Department of Health Healthy Kids Program, Las Cruces and El Paso School Districts, and other selected healthcare services providers to develop an innovative childhood obesity prevention event that was held in our region. The one-day event included presentations on programs, health promotion strategies, and recommendations for policy changes directed at reducing child and adolescent obesity.

More than 100 professionals—including COBINA members, diabetes organizations and agencies, school districts, community health centers, Promotoras, program directors/specialists, public health officials, and policy-makers—from New Mexico, West Texas, and Juarez and Nuevo Casas Grandes/Palomas, as well as representatives of regional non-profit health advocacy organizations attended and participated in the event.

Child and Adolescent Obesity Summit_Agenda p.1 (This file include presentations)
Child and Adolescent Obesity Summit_Agenda p.2 (This file include presentations)
Child and Adolescent Obesity Summit_Agenda p.3 (This file include presentations)

Mary & the Junk Food Eaters Film & Comic Book

Welcome to a special film and comic book created by youth for youth from two different schools in Sabina Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon Mexico and Vado, New Mexico. The New Mexico Department of Health, Office of Border Health worked with the US-MX Border Health Commission Mexican Section’s Nuevo Leon State Coordinating Office in the design of the film and comic book aimed at promoting behavioral change that will lead to better nutrition, reduced fat and sugar consumption, and increased physical activity in children and adolescents. The process involved in the production of the movie was truly a binational effort: two focus groups of teens were convened in two locations within the U.S.-Mexico Border Region to formulate a script that would be appropriate and enjoyable for border youth. With input from both groups, the script was written by Angie Sanchez Corral of the New Mexico Office of Border Health. It was reviewed for medical and cultural accuracy by the New Mexico Department of Health, and was produced in both English and Spanish. The teen stars of the film are from the focus group in Vado.

The film and comic book are targeted to youth, but adults will enjoy it, too. The materials will impart an understanding about the risks of obesity and the impact to health of diabetes and other diseases that are associated with the disease. The production also promotes practical strategies and actions to prevent obesity and reduce the risks of onset of diabetes.

We hope you will enjoy this film and comic book, and find it appropriate to show to the at-risk population in your clinic/organization/agency. Feel free to duplicate the movie or comic book if needed. The film and the comic book are also available online.

For more information about the Film and Comic Book Project, please contact:

Angie Sanchez Corral
Community Development Coordinator
Office of Border Health
Division of Policy and Performance
Phone: (575) 528-5123
Email: Angie.sanchez@state.nm.us
Address: 1170 N. Solano Drive, Suite L
Las Cruces NM 88001

No More Excuses Film

In an effort to combat the rise of obesity and diabetes, the New Mexico Department of Health Office of Border Health created this film entitled, “No More Excuses!”, appropriate for family audiences and at-risk populations on both sides of the US-Mexico border. The sometimes humorous and often serious film is about a Mexican-American family facing the challenges associated with obesity and diabetes--including such behavioral problems of improper nutrition and lack of physical inactivity; as well as the clinical implications associated with diabetes, such as foot care, blindness, renal failure and dialysis.

The film is targeted to both youths and adults and will impart an understanding about the risks of obesity and the impact to health and wellbeing of diabetes and other diseases that are associated with the disease. The production also promotes practical strategies and actions to prevent obesity and reduce the risks of onset of diabetes.

We hope you will enjoy this film, and find it appropriate to show to the at-risk population in your clinic/organization/agency. The film is also available online.

For more information about the film, please contact:

Lizabeth Castro Gutierrez
New Mexico Outreach Office Coordinator
ph:(575) 528-5146
fax:(575) 528-6045
Lizabeth.Gutierrez@state.nm.us

NM Office of Border Health wins NPHIC Award for Excellence

The Office of Border Health’s (OBH) bilingual fotonovela “I Wish I had Known” was selected by the National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) for the Bronze Award of Excellence in Public Health Communication/In-House Health Literacy. The award was presented to Chris Minnick, Public Information Officer, who was representing DOH at the annual meeting of the NPHIC in San Diego. The fotonovela was constructed by OBH Graphics and Media Development Specialist Andre Walker using digital stills from a film that was produced under the same name by Lizabeth Castro Gutierrez, OBH Outreach Office Coordinator. Funding for production of the film and fotonovela was provided by the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission and Healthy Kids New Mexico.

I Wish I Had Known - One Family’s Struggle with Obesity & Diabetes

Si Hubiera Sabido - La lucha de una familia contra la obesidad y la diabetes

Upcoming Events

Ciclovía is an outdoor opportunity for citizens to take part in an event that promotes physical activity and healthy lifestyles. Ciclovía is a temporary urban space in which neighbors regularly interact with one another and their community through exercise and fun activities. During this event pedestrians can use the streets for safe travel via cycling, walking, jogging, dancing, skipping, etc. In Las Cruces, the events are held the last Sunday of the month at Young Park, where there are structured games and activities for everyone.

Past Events

Border Binational Health Week 2011
October 1-8, 2011

Border Binational Health Week 2011 Activities Matrix
BBHW 2011 Evaluation Report

Annual Bi-national Rally on the River – This event is held in recognition of the United Nation’s “International Day Against Drug Abuse And Illicit Trafficking” to demonstrate the solidarity of the border communities of Texas, New Mexico and Chihuahua uniting together to symbolize the combined efforts to build a better and safer border. This event has been conducted for six years. The first year we had approximately 75 attendees and this last year we had over 175 participants. Special speakers have included state, federal and local law enforcement, mayors and other elected officials and youth from both sides of the border. A picnic like atmosphere and youth entertainment has made this event a success every year. This event brings community awareness on the dangers of drug use and abuse in our region.

7th Annual Binational Rally on the River
Saturday, June 25th, 2011
9 am - 11 am
Bowie High School
801 S. San Marcial

Third U.S.- México Border Health Research Forum—May 16-17, 2011

The U.S.-México Border Health Commission (BHC) convened the Third U.S.- México Border Health

Research Forum May 16 and 17, 2011 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The New Mexico Border Health Office hosted the Border Health Research Forum, which brought together federal, state, academic, government, and non-governmental organizations from the United States and México to discuss research priorities in the border region.

The purpose of the Third U.S.- México Border Health Research Forum was to 1) discuss Institutional Review Boards (IRB), 2) propose and discuss the creation of a border health research journal, 3) provide an update of the Healthy Border 2010/2020 Initiative, and 4)create an opportunity for U.S. and México academic and research institutions to collaborate. The agenda also included 1) a review of Healthy People 2020, 2) a discussion of topics and research paper submissions for the next special edition of the 2012 PAHO Journal, 3) a discussion of plans for PAHO’s Health Status in the Americas and its chapter on the U.S.- México Border, and 4) a panel discussion on support to binational Centers of Excellence.

Conference participants represented federal agencies, state and county health departments, and universities in all ten U.S. and México border states (Arizona, Baja California, California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, New Mexico, Nuevo León , Sonora, Tamaulipas, and Texas) as well as additional states located outside the border (Guanajuato and the Distrito Federal). Participants represented 12 different universities as well as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resource Services Administration (HRSA), the Robert Wood Johnson Center for Health Policy, and the México Institute of Social Security.

Border Binational Health Week 2010
October 2-8, 2010
Border Binational Health Week 2010 Activities Matrix
2010 Border Binational Health Week New Mexico Evaluation Report

Red De Promotora Binational Health Conference
October 6, 2010
Agenda

Launching of Youth Obesity Film (MARY AND THE JUNK FOOD EATERS) at Cineport 10
October 7, 2010
Event Program

Border Binational Health Week Closing Ceremonies
October 8, 2010
Agenda-English
Agenda-Spanish

Border Binational Leadership Summit for Professionals and Youth
October 8, 2010
Agenda-English
Agenda-Spanish

8th Annual Red Ribbon Rally "A Healthy Lifestyle is the Way to Be"
October 9, 2010

7th Annual Faces of Diabetes Conference
October 15, 2010
Agenda

Launching of Part Two Obesity Prevention Film (NO MORE EXCUSES!) at Cineport 10
October 20, 2010
Event Program

Binational AIDS Walk
October 23, 2010

National Infant Immunization Week and Vaccination Week in the Americas (NIIW/VWA) 2010 Inaugural Event
& Professional Conference
April 26, 2010 New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, Las Cruces, New Mexico

“What’s going on with Addictions?” Alternative Therapies used to treat Addictions
October 9, 2009 8:00am-4:30pm Ardovino’s Restaurant Sunland Park, New Mexico

Columbus Health Fair and Fun Run
October 10, 2009 7:00am-2:00pm Columbus, New Mexico

Red de Promotoras
October 14, 2009 8:00am-4:00pm Camino Real Hotel, El Paso, Texas

Red Ribbon Rally and Health Fair for Healthy Living
October 24, 2009 12noon-4:00pm Student Activities Complex (SAC) 1300 Joe Battle
El Paso, Texas

Our partners are having the following events:

PAHO - Diabetes Forum
October 13, 2009 8:00am-4:30pm Camino Real Hotel, El Paso, Texas

El Paso Diabetes Association One Diabetes. Many Phases. Diabetes Conference
October 16, 2009 7:00am-5:00pm Wyndham El Paso Airport Hotel

October 7th, 2009
"I Wish I Had Known" Movie Screening and Reception

The NM-ORO has completed a movie script on obesity and diabetes. The movie is about a family afflicted with problems associated with obesity and diabetes (including such problems of foot care, blindness, renal failure and dialysis, etc.); the movie is targeted to both youths and adults and will impart an understanding about the risks of obesity and the impact to health and well-being of diabetes (including co-morbidities), as well as practical strategies and actions to reduce risks and prevent obesity and the onset of diabetes.

Tuberculosis Surveillance and Control in the New Mexico-Chihuahua Border Region

The Office of Border Health received a grant from the U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission to develop a three-year pilot project entitled: Tuberculosis Surveillance and Control in the New Mexico-Chihuahua Border Region. The project involves piloting the training of community health workers in Northwestern Chihuahua to do directly-observed therapy (DOT), contact investigations, and reporting in rural communities. An operational planning meeting was held in Columbus New Mexico to initiate activities, to be carried out in concert with: Chihuahua State Health Services, Texas Department of State Health Services/Project JUNTOS, Migrant Clinicians Network, and Public Health Region 5, Infectious Disease Bureau’s Tuberculosis Program, and the Scientific Laboratory Division, with overall coordination provided by the Office of Border Health.

June 2nd & 3rd 2009
U.S.-Mexico Border Child & Adolescent Health Forum

The Offices of Border Health of New Mexico and Texas organized and hosted a 1.5 day forum with the objective to analyze the current status of children's health along the U.S.-Mexico border and propose a series of strategic initiatives to improve healthcare access and health outcomes.

The forum consisted of a series of invited presentations by leading border health experts and children's health practitioners in plenary and separate work sessions dealing with the following:

social determinants of health
health disparities in previous research, current policies and health data
access to healthcare

The forum included discussion of children's health data profiles that were presented as part of the half-day session in the preparation of a Children's Border Health white paper that will focus on binational approaches and interventions for improving children's health status and access to care.

Presentations

Children’s Health Conditions in the U.S.-Mexico Border Region

Kids Count (Annie E. Casey Foundation)

Children’s Health Conditions in the U.S.-Mexico Border Region

Social Determinants of Health

Health Status and Disparities in the U.S.-Mexico Border Region

Access to Health Care

Office of Border Health

New Mexico Department of Health - Division of Policy and Performance