Community Health Improvement - Public Health Region 8

Katherine Velasquez, PhD, RN 
Community Health Improvement Manager
7430 Louis Pasteur
San Antonio, TX 78229
210-949-2091
Katherine.velasquez@dshs.texas.gov

Mission

To improve the health and well-being of Texas families by focusing on prevention and increasing access to health care through community collaboration.

Purpose

Community Health Improvement (CHI) services include many programs addressing the health and well-being of women and children. We often work together with the members and leaders of our communities on their well-being. Region8 CHI has workers in 12 field offices, which are located in Bandera, Boerne, Del Rio, Floresville, Goliad, Hallettsville, Karnes, Kerrville, Pearsall, Port Lavaca, Seguin, and Uvalde. Our services include:

• Programs for communities and groups:
  • Wellness
  • Prevention and health promotion 
  • Health education
  • Community collaboration and partnerships 
  • Related technical assistance
• Child and adolescent injury prevention
• Child passenger safety—checking and putting in child car seats
• Immunizations—shots for babies, children, and adults
• Healthy eating and infant nutrition (including breastfeeding)
• Healthy life choices
• Spinal screening and training for school staff
• Perinatal hepatitis B training in hospitals
• Seeing and hearing testing
• Help finding services, such as:
  • Family planning, including birth control
  • Health care and screening for children 
  • Social services, such as food, housing, job training, etc.
  • Tobacco cessation 
  • Case management 

Additional Resources

Maternal & Child Health (MCH)
Maternal Health Care Bureau, Title V Information System
Adolescent Health Program - Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
Breast and Cervical Cancer in Texas
Epilepsy Services - Department of State Health Services (HHS)
Family Planning in Texas – Texas Healthy Women
Genetic Services - Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
Indigent Health Care Program
Primary Health Care in Texas
Spinal Screening Program
Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program (WIC)