SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 896
WHEREAS, In just one year, The University of Texas
Community Outreach program has made a measurable difference in
the effort to prevent and control diabetes; and
WHEREAS, This outstanding program, also known as UTCO,
currently serves people in Cameron, Galveston, Nueces, and Webb
Counties who have diabetes or are at risk of developing the
disease; the program employs community health workers certified
by the Department of State Health Services to guide education,
nutrition, and physical activity interventions and achieved more
than 39,000 contacts between September of 2009 and November of
2010; and
WHEREAS, Economic savings and health impacts as a result of
this outreach have already been documented; a survey of
Brownsville clients revealed that only 40.9 percent met physical
activity guidelines without the intervention of a community
health worker, while 59.1 percent met the guidelines if a trained
community health worker from The University of Texas Community
Outreach program guided an intervention; in addition,
participants in the program have experienced decreases in blood
glucose levels, abdominal weight, and overall weight; and
WHEREAS, The average annual cost to treat an individual
with diabetes is $12,000; for a fraction of that, $21.50 per
at-risk individual per year, The University of Texas Community
Outreach program provides in-home prevention assistance,
screening and monitoring, media campaigns, exercise and
nutrition classes, and facilities; the average lifetime
treatment cost for a diabetic with end-stage renal disease is
$1.5 million, while the annual budget for reaching 80,000 people
in four counties through the community outreach program is only
$3 million; and
WHEREAS, A diabetes epidemic is overwhelming the state and
draining taxpayer funds; the low-cost University of Texas
Community Outreach model shifts the emphasis from treatment to
prevention, utilizing permanent local expertise and
infrastructure, and the program is indeed deserving of
recognition; the program's presentation at the recent Texas
Public Health Association annual meeting was designated as the
Outstanding Research Paper Presentation based on the outcomes
achieved in the prevention and control of diabetes; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd
Legislature, hereby honor The University of Texas Community
Outreach program for its achievements in promoting
community-based prevention and control of diabetes and obesity
and commend all those associated with the program for their
outstanding efforts; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
The University of Texas Community Outreach program as an
expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.
Lucio, Hinojosa,
Jackson, Zaffirini
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 3, 2011.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate