Far West Texas students are spending more time in classrooms thanks to a telehealth program that brings specialized health care directly to school nurses’ offices.
The Border Health Outreach Initiative transformed several community health programs, including Campus Care, a school-based program led by Project Vida in partnership with Texas Tech Health El Paso. Campus Care connects K-12 students in remote rural communities to medical specialists using advanced telecommunications technology.
Since its launch in February 2023, the program has reduced student absenteeism by up to 35%, with up to 80% of students reporting improved academic performance.
“Thanks to the Border Health Outreach Initiative, we have been able to reach many students who otherwise go without health care,” said Pamela Ponce, Campus Care co-chief with Project Vida. “We’ve identified countless children with undiagnosed conditions like asthma and mental health challenges, providing them with life-changing diagnoses and treatment that prevents unnecessary hospitalizations and suffering.”
The outreach initiative is supported by a $3 million federal grant secured by U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar of El Paso.
In addition to physical health, the program has been transformative in addressing student mental health needs in communities where resources are scarce. According to Texas Health and Human Services, many communities in Far West Texas have no child and adolescent psychiatry providers.
“At one of our districts, a student was having difficulties breathing and didn’t have an inhaler due to lack of medical insurance,” Ponce said. “The patient was seen virtually by a Campus Care telehealth provider, who prescribed an inhaler. A Project Vida Health Center discount packet was given to the parent, and now the student can take his inhaler during school hours.”
School districts currently benefiting from the program include Canutillo, Socorro, Clint, San Elizario, Fort Hancock and Tornillo ISDs.
“Health care always has a primary focus for me,” Escobar said. “We know that when people do not have access to health care, it ultimately ends tragically for them. It also incurs a financial cost. People often use our emergency rooms as their primary health care access points, but when they leave that access to return to a health care desert, it does not bode well for them.”
Making health care accessible where students learn
The cornerstone of the Campus Care school-based health care initiative is the TytoCare Clinic, a portable device that enables school nurses to conduct clinic-grade physical exams for conditions including strep throat, ear infections and respiratory illnesses. The system adheres to HIPAA telehealth guidelines, ensuring the secure transmission of patient data.
Prior to the program, residents of many Far West Texas communities faced six-hour round-trip journeys to El Paso for specialized medical care. For school-age children, this often meant missing full days of instruction for routine appointments.
The initiative has established telemedicine services in Presidio, Terlingua, Alpine, Fort Davis and other rural communities where residents typically live two to five times farther from medical facilities than the national average.
“The grant means access, bridging a gap between remote communities in Far West Texas,” Ponce said. “By using telemedicine equipment, we have enhanced that access and connected providers to any community needing support. Ultimately, what it has meant to us is the elimination of barriers and improved access.”
Rajkumar Lakshmanaswamy, dean of the Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, agrees.
“We have changed the health care landscape for tens of thousands of underserved families in our community,” Lakshmanaswamy said. “Early detection and monitoring are key to controlling not only chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease but also addressing mental health issues.”
Addressing the mental health crisis in schools
Among young adults age 18 to 25 in the United States, one in three experienced a mental illness in 2020, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The telehealth program provides critical access to mental health services for students who previously had no practical way to receive such care.
“One of our students has made incredible progress with her mental health,” Ponce said. “Through consistent therapy provided by the Campus Care program, she’s managing her symptoms well, and even tapering off her medication.”
El Paso County itself struggles with a provider shortage, having only five psychiatrists for every 100,000 residents. The telepsychiatry component of the initiative allows students to receive professional mental health support without leaving their school environment.
Texas Tech Health El Paso President Richard Lange noted: “With telemedicine services now operational in several key areas, we’re seeing tangible benefits in expanded access to preventive care and improved quality of care for individuals who previously faced significant barriers.”
Collaborative model shows promise for expansion
The Border Health Outreach Initiative thrives on collaboration between local physicians, nurses, biomedical researchers, public health experts, promotores (community health workers) and students working together to deliver comprehensive care.
Project Vida’s expertise has been instrumental in building the program’s infrastructure and engaging local promotores to bridge gaps between health care providers and students, continuing its 30-year mission of supporting historically underserved communities.
“It’s not just about technology — it’s about neighbors helping neighbors,” Lakshmanaswamy said. “This equipment helps both patients and physicians by providing access to health care for those who don’t otherwise have the means.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, digital health interventions using advanced remote technology can reduce hospitalizations by up to 30% for patients managing chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension, which are more prevalent in economically disadvantaged areas of Far West Texas.
Escobar emphasized the program’s broader impact.
“We want people to be healthy, strong, and educated members of our community, state, and country. Texas Tech Health El Paso has been one of the core institutions ensuring that we achieve that.”
Closing the gap
Texas Tech Health El Paso is leading efforts in bridging health care and education across our Borderplex region, improving student success and well-being. To learn more about how Texas Tech Health El Paso is improving lives and empowering generations or how you can help, visit ttuhscepimpact.org.
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