From Our Team

The Family Table

Its 6:00 p.m. and I’m late for dinner again. As I walk in the door my daughters call out “Dad, you better hurry we’re already starting.” I rush to wash my hands and get to the table. Then as we start eating, my phone rings. My older daughter reminds me of our rule to be “unplugged” at this time. That means, no television, phones, computers, etc. I apologize to all then shut my phone off. Setting aside quality family time in a quiet, distraction free environment takes prioritizing and practice. Barriers to gathering at the family table may seem difficult to overcome. Yet the lasting…

Regional Cooperation for Your Health

I recall, years ago, participating in a teambuilding workshop. We played an activity, with which you may be familiar. Each of us took a single stick and easily broke it; then we bundled the sticks and could not break them. The moral was something like, “we are stronger together than we are apart.”

Like the bundling of sticks, regional agencies are binding together for stronger health and human services. That’s good news for anyone who needs to visit a doctor, or who is trying to eat better, exercise more, quit smoking, or teach a child about healthy relationships. The following are a few…

ACA and its Unique Permutations on the U.S.-Mexico Border

While the pros and cons of the the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have been discussed ad nauseam, few have discussed the unique implications for residents of the U.S.-Mexico border region, particularly folks living in Texas.

In 2007, Theresa Byrd (Texas Tech) and I conducted a survey of El Paso County to determine what proportion of residents access health care services in Mexico. We also wanted to learn which services they use, and why they cross for care. We found that 32% of El Paso residents crossed into Mexico for some type of health care service. Of those that crossed, 27% were…

Preventing isolation for mental and emotional well-being

As the holiday season moves into full swing, shifting focus to family and helping your neighbor can be emotionally beneficial. However, for some the hype, commercialization, and nostalgia of the holiday season brings added stress which can lead to problems with anxiety and depression. These are times when family and community support can make a huge difference.

Children, youth and adults all experience life events that can create symptoms of mental illness such as anxiety or depression. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 1 in 5 American…