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Task Force of Border Health Officials

The Task Force of Border Health Officials was created to advise the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) on policy priorities addressing major issues affecting the border region residents' health and health conditions; raising public awareness of the issues, and other health issues impacting the border region.

The Task Force is made up of health department directors from border counties and border cities with a sister city in Mexico. DSHS has appointed additional members, including three DSHS Public Health Region Medical Directors to represent parts of the border without local health departments. The Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives appoint two ex-officio, nonvoting legislative members.
 

Vision

To promote and enhance a healthy and equitable border community.

Mission

To identify and raise awareness of binational health issues impacting border communities to enhance border public health.

Values

Creative and practical solutions through participatory leadership of Texas-Mexico border health professionals via:

  • Community
  • Communication
  • Culture
  • Collaboration

General Duties of the Task Force

The task force shall make recommendations to the commissioner for short-term and long-term border health improvement plans. The short-term plan shall identify health objectives proposed to be accomplished before the fourth anniversary of the date the plan is adopted. The long-term plan shall identify health objectives proposed to be accomplished before the ninth anniversary of the date the plan is adopted. 
(From: S.B.1680 Chapter 120, SUB-CHAPTER C., Section 120.101. SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM PLANS.) 

For the complete text of the enabling legislation for the Task Force, please see: 
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.120.htm

Contact Information

For more information about participating in Task Force meetings, contact:

Guillermo Zenizo Lindsey | Binational Communications Coordinator
Texas Department of State Health Services
Office of Border Public Health, MC 1962
1100 W. 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756
512-865-7380 | 512-776-7262 fax

Email:    OBPH@dshs.texas.gov

Links

Reports

Meeting Agendas and Minutes 

Meeting Date 

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast Archives

 Presentations

December 10, 2025

 

 

 

 

October 8, 2025

 

 

 

 

August 13, 2025

 

 

 

 

June 11, 2025

 

 

 

 

April 9, 2025

 

 

 

 

February 12, 2025

 

 

 

 

December 11, 2024

 

 

 

 

October 3, 2024

Agenda

 

 

 

August 14, 2024

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

2024 Operation Border Health Preparedness (PDF)
Parent ProTech (PDF)
TFBHO Recommendations Report (PDF)

June 13, 2024

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

Congenital Syphilis (PDF)
TFBHO Recommendations Discussion (PDF)
UCD Public Comment (PDF)

April 10, 2024

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

Health Care Workforce in the Texas Border Region (PDF)
Health Coordination Centers for Well-Being (PDF)
TFBHO Recommendations Discussion (PDF)

February 14, 2024

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

Border Immunization Ordering (PDF)
Alzheimer Association (PDF)
Texas Border Health Epidemiology and Data Overview (PDF)
TFBHO Recommendations Discussion (PDF)

December 7, 2023

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

Immunization Program Update (PDF)
Mosquito Vectors in South Texas (PDF)
Take all Food Allergies Seriously (PDF)
TFBHO Recommendations Discussion (PDF)

October 11, 2023

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

Immunization Program Update (PDF)
ASN Bridge Program Update (PDF)
Texas Border Health Data Overview (PDF)
Operation Border Health Preparedness 2023 Update (PDF)
PHIX El Paso’s Health Information Exchange (PDF)
State of the Art Health Information Exchange (PDF)
Discussion for the 2024 Recommendations Report (PDF)

August 9, 2023

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

OBPH CHW Training Center Update (PDF)
2023 OBHP Overview (PDF)
TFBHO Upcoming Meetings and Report Timeline (PDF)

June 7, 2023

Agenda

Minutes

WebCast

TARC Border Health Presentation (PDF) 
Border Health Data with Notes (PDF)
Legislative Updates to TFBHO (PDF)

April 12, 2023

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

TFBHO Environmental Health Recommendations (PDF)
Support and Response Plan for Mosquito-Borne Diseases Along the U.S.-Mexico Border Region of Texas (PDF)
10th Annual U.S. - Mexico Regional Binational Public Health Conference Flyer (PDF)

February 9, 2023

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

TFBHO Subcommittee Overview (PDF)
Draft Support and Response Plan for Mosquito-Borne Diseases Along the U.S.-Mexico Border Region of Texas (PDF)

December 8, 2022

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

OBPH CHW Training Center (PDF)
TFBHO Subcommittee Strategic Planning (PDF)

October 13, 2022 

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

TFBHO Agenda Item VII - 2023 Meeting Dates (PDF)

July 7, 2022

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

Subcommittee Recommendations (PDF)
Texas Border Health Data Overview (PDF)

May 25, 2022

Agenda 

Minutes

Webcast

Local Health Entity Data Sharing Enhancement (PPTX)
Subcommittee Recommendations (PDF)

March 31, 2022

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

TCEQ Scrap Tire Investigations (PDF)
Subcommittee Recommendations (PDF)

February 9, 2022

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast 

TDLR Promoting Retail Sanitation Profession (PDF)
Food Inspections, Water Quality, Microbiology (PDF)

December 9, 2021

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast 

Chair and Vice-chair Rotation Schedule (PDF)
Recommendations Report Timeline (PNG)
4.1.7C Tex. Admin. Code § 7.21 (PDF)

October 21, 2021

Agenda

Minutes 

Webcast 

 

September 9, 2021

Agenda 

Minutes                  

Webcast 

 

July 15, 2021

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

 

May 20, 2021

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

 

February 18, 2021

Agenda
(Canceled)

 

 

Canceled due to inclement weather. 

December 10, 2020

Agenda  

Minutes

Webcast

 

November 18, 2020

Agenda  

Minutes

Webcast

 

October 30, 2020

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

 

October 15, 2020

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

 

February 20, 2020

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

 

December 13, 2019

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

Mosquito Surveillance

September 13, 2019

Agenda

Minutes  

Webcast

Expansion of Border Infectious Disease Surveillance (BIDS)
Community Health Worker (CHW) Training Center
Operation Lone Star (OLS)

June 7, 2019

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

 

March 8, 2019

Agenda

Minutes

Webcast

 

December 7, 2018 

Agenda

Minutes

 

 

September 21, 2018

Agenda

Minutes

 

 

September 5-6, 2018

Agenda

Minutes

 

 

June 27-28, 2018

Agenda

Minutes

 

 

April 13, 2018

Agenda

Minutes

 

 

February 7, 2018

Agenda

Minutes

 

 

December 11, 2017

Agenda

Minutes