The Division of Public Health Pediatrics is on a mission to create a healthier future for children and families in Texas. We are leading a larger effort to reframe how children and families receive care and services that mitigate adversities and foster resilience within themselves and our community. We do this by being leaders in community programs, education, clinical services and research efforts to mitigate childhood adversities and foster individual, family and community resilience:
Community Programs: Our suite ofcommunity programs offers pregnant women and families with young children information on early brain development, basic needs and physical and mental health.
Education and Training: We offer training and educational sessions to professionals and community members. Additionally, more extensive training opportunities are provided to medical students, residents and fellows in the field of child abuse pediatrics, childhood adversities and resilience.
Research Initiatives: We generate new knowledge in the fields of child maltreatment diagnosis and treatment, childhood adversities, early brain development, maternal and child health, child welfare and resilience through our participation in and lead roles in research initiatives.
Support and Clinical Services: Our team provides support and clinical services to children who are suspected victims of abuse and neglect and to children who are in the foster care system.
We know that adverse childhood experiences, such as child abuse and neglect and household dysfunction, are associated with an increased risk for poor social, emotional and physical health that extends into adulthood. Our achievements in preventing and mitigating these childhood adversities and providing care for our community’s most vulnerable children include:
Our research efforts include participation in a national multi-center research network, CAPNET, that is designed to improve the care and identification of children who have been abused.
Our upSTART Community Programs support parents and families with young children with early brain and language development, perinatal maternal mental health and other health and care needs. We have served over 3,300 families.
Our community engagement activities include education to professionals to mitigate childhood adversities. Since 2023, staff has educated over 2,300 professionals.
Our clinical programs encompass children’s protective health, head injury, foster care clinics and advocacy centers.
Over the past 9 years, our Division has received over $32 million through 95 federal, state and local grants/contracts to support our work.
Our Resources page offers guidance for the general public about suicide prevention and community perspective reports for vulnerable populations.
Our committed team includes physicians, professors, RNs, psychologists, masters of public health, social workers, speech language pathologists, health educators, community health workers, patient access coordinators, patient access specialists and program assistants.
