Southwest Health Promotion

Community health improvement by mobilizing community residents about health issues and solutions and by coalition building to promote health planning and collaboration among local organizations and stakeholders.

Healthy Kids Las Cruces initiative can be reached at 575-528-5111.

Please see the main Health Promotion page for more information.

Health Councils

Health Promotion in Southwest Region supports 8 Health Councils. Each health council is located within the county comprising part of the Southwest Region. Southwest Region Health Councils have developed their list of working health priorities, listed below, which they will address this coming year.

Team

Success of The Southwest Region Health Promotion Team (HPT) is dependent on a strong NMDOH team, and a network of reliable, knowledgeable partners. The HPT advances and supports optimal health and wellness through community organizing, coalitions and networks, by strengthening capacities of organizations advocating for health policy and legislation, and by identifying and generating community resources for health improvement. We specifically work within Public Health Essential Services these are: Inform, Educate, and Empower people about health issues; mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve problems; and develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts.

• Health Promotion Program Manager for the Southwest Region, is based in the Regional Headquarters located in the Las Cruces Public Health Office. They provide leadership, advocacy and manage the operational of the Southwest Region Health Promotion Program.
• Community Epidemiologist, for the Southwest Region, is based in the Regional Headquarters located in the Las Cruces Public Health Office. Janet plays a vital role by providing and interpreting the data which is the basis for Health Promotion work.
• Saenz Jazmine, Health Promotion Specialist, is based in Chaparral Public Health Office. Jazmine provides support to Local Health Offices in Chaparral, Anthony and Sunland Park. She also coordinates the Students With Adolescent Goals contract for the entire state.
• Michele Giese, Health Promotion Specialist, is based in the Grant County Public Health Office. Michele provides support to the Health Council and Local Health Offices for Grant and Catron Counties.
• Maureen Schmittle, Health Promotion Specialist, is based in the Otero County Public Health Office. Maureen provides support to Health Council and Local Health Offices in Otero County.
• Jackie Muncy, Health Promotion Specialist, is based in the Socorro County Public Health Office. Jackie provides support to the Health Councils and Local Health Offices in Socorro and Sierra Counties.
• Gilbert Padilla, Health Promotion Specialist, is based in the Regional Headquarters located in the Las Cruces Public Health Office. Gil provides support to Health Councils in Doña Ana, Luna, and Hidalgo Counties and Local Health Offices in Doña Ana County.
• Rebecca Sanchez, is based in the Luna County Public Health Office. She provides support to the Health Councils and Local Health Offices in Luna and Hidalgo Counties.

Partners

Chaparral – Chaparral Parents in Action host monthly meetings to get more agencies to Chaparral and provide information to the community. They also look for additional funding for programming in Chaparral.

Otero County – Otero County Cooperative Extension, Kelly Knight, is a co-lead for the chronic disease self-management programs and the Eat Well Otero project.

Socorro County - Prevention Coalition, which works on several different substance abuse prevention strategies for youth in the community as well as in the school. They also collaborate with HKHC, Socorro Consolidated Schools and community members to update the School Wellness Policy.

Sierra County – Middle Rio Grande Economic Development Association (MRGEDA) Health Team creates plans to get inpatients treatment center for Sierra & Socorro Counties to help with access to treatment and continuum of care for patients from treatment back into the community.

Luna County – Very active with the Driving While Intoxicated Luna County and CHANCES (Collaboration to Health Assure NO Child is Exposed to Substances), where community partners help educate and implement screening/treatment for substance abuse in expectant women.

Hidalgo County – Hidalgo Medical Services provides positively impacts the health, wellbeing and quality of life. For those serving comprehensive, integrated, affordable healthcare and education of patients and healthcare professionals.

Doña Ana County – Las Cruces Public Schools in updating the School Wellness Policies, involved with the statewide BMI Surveillance for measuring kindergarten and 3rd graders and the Safe Route to School program. City of Las Cruces Parks & Recreation to promote active living by the promotion city parks and trails and the establishment of community gardens.

Grant County – Grant County Healthy Kids, Alicia Edwards, work involves health education and community mobilization efforts including organization, coordination, grant writing and facilitation of partnerships with other community health organizations and programs, public and private. These efforts involve the community and attempt a comprehensive, collaborative approach to improving public health.

Activities

Southwest Region HPT/Health Council Leadership

The Southwest Region HPT/Health Council Leadership team meet on a quarterly basis throughout the year. This team usually comes together during the months of February, May, August, and November. These quarterly meetings are attended by the Health Council Coordinator, fiscal agents, other health council members, and Health Promotion Staff. During the quarterly meetings, Health Council, DOH, and Health Council Alliance provide updates and an activity and/or a presenter will take place for those in attendance.

On Feb. 16, 2018, The Southwest Region HPT hosted the HPT/Health Council Leadership meeting. The activity for the meeting was True Colors, which discovers a person’s personality style. The belief is that with increased understanding of ourselves and others that conflict will decrease. Once you learn your color and that of others, you will have a better understanding and working relationship with others.

The presenter for the meeting was Enrique Mata, Sr. Program Officer of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation PDNHF. He presented one of the PDNHF initiative, Think. Change. This initiative is to reduce stigma associated with mental illness while using the Collective Impact framework to reduce stigma. A second presenter with Susan Wilger, Director for Southwest Center Health Innovation. Her topic was how to count In-kind work, Evaluation and Leveraging. NM Health Council Alliance updated on the current state legislative session and the possible funding for Health Councils and the establishment of a Task Force for Health Councils.