Mega Doctor News
Rio Grande Valley, Texas – Jan. – 2018 – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine has been awarded two grants totaling $650,000 from Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas Inc. for two of its clinical outreach initiatives.
Specifically, the School of Medicine received $500,000 for its Integrated Care Collaborative Unit (ICCU), and $150,000 for its Interprofessional Community-Based Practice and Education Project.
“We are delighted to receive this funding from Methodist Healthcare Ministries to continue serving our community,” said Dr. John H. Krouse, dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine and vice president for Health Affairs at UTRGV. “Through these grants, Methodist Healthcare Ministries has demonstrated its confidence in the School of Medicine to provide excellent care to members of the community who need it the most.”
This is the fourth award UTRGV has received from Methodist Healthcare Ministries for the ICCU and the second it has received for the Interprofessional Community-Based Practice and Education Project. Methodist Healthcare Ministries previously awarded a total of more than $2.3 million to the School of Medicine for the ICCU, to provide integrated care to improve the mental health outcomes of children and adolescents who are triply diagnosed.
“We are pleased to once again partner with UTRGV,” said Anne Connor, director of community grants at Methodist Healthcare Ministries. “Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ grant-making is rooted in partnerships that promote access to care and integrated health care programs. UTRGV has been an invaluable resource in the Rio Grande Valley and we are happy to support their continued efforts to improve community health.”
The School of Medicine has formed a partnership with the Hidalgo County Health Department to operate the John Austin Peña Memorial Center in Edinburg, which provides integrated care to adolescents 12-18 years of age who are triply diagnosed with a medical illness, mental illness and an appetite drive disorder, such as substance abuse.
The grant approved for the Interprofessional Community-Based Practice and Education Project will help the School of Medicine to continue its partnerships with various communities throughout the Rio Grande Valley to provide integrated health care services to residents. UTRGV received last year $150,000 from Methodist Healthcare Ministries for this project. Methodist Healthcare Ministries also has awarded a total of more than $1.6 million to UTRGV for its “Sí Texas: Social Innovation for a Healthy South Texas” project.
UTRGV President Guy Bailey said UTRGV is grateful for the partnership it has with Methodist Healthcare Ministries in providing healthcare to the community.
“These grants will allow the UTRGV School of Medicine to continue serving members of our community who otherwise might not have access to healthcare,” Bailey said. “It is through contributions like these from Methodist Healthcare Ministries that will enable us to close disparities in healthcare and improve the health and well-being of the people of the Valley.” The grants began Jan. 1, 2018, and last through Dec. 31, 2018.
