Dallas Fort Worth Nonprofit Business Journal

Category: Health Care

  • James L. West Center sees graduation of first class of dementia care-trained CNA’s from local high school

    Celebration is in order as 22 students and their families will commemorate a milestone as the students will graduate from the inaugural James L. West Center for Dementia Care Certified Nurse Aide Training & Competency (CNA) Program in partnership with the P-TECH certification class in the Pathways for Technology Early College Medical Collegiate Academy at Fort Worth ISD’s North Side High School.

    The James L. West Center for Dementia Care is the clinical partner in this first-of-its-kind post- acute partnership with a high school in North Texas. The workforce development program is helping students recognize the aging sector as a potential career opportunity. As a first step in the healthcare career ladder, students can leverage this CNA certification with enhanced dementia training as an entrance into long-term care, nursing school, and beyond.

    The P-TECH curriculum is a partnership among Fort Worth Independent School District, North Side High School, and James L. West Center for Dementia Care, offering an inter-generational opportunity for a promising career path.

    The students will be entering their senior year and have completed three years of the program that included introductory dementia education in their freshman and sophomore years, and a State of Texas-approved Nurse Aide Training course with enhanced Dementia Specialist training in their junior year. The program has taught them in the Texas curriculum of the Certified Nurse Aide training course, and they will sit for their accreditation State of Texas exam this summer. The James L. West Center, which has provided the curriculum and clinical partnership, is an approved testing site.

    “We are honored to have collaborated in the development of this program – a first of its kind in the dementia space of the long-term care and healthcare industries, and we are grateful that Fort Worth ISD has seen the value of this clinical opportunity,” says Jaime Cobb Tinsley, Vice President of Caregiver & Dementia Education at The James L. West Center.

    She continues, “This clinical partnership will also lead to employment opportunities at the James L. West Center, and other aging services organizations, as we have created opportunities for these students this summer. We hosted a job fair and interviewed most of these students, as well as others interested in various career paths in aging services. This is particularly appropriate timing since May is Aging Services Month.”

    “We appreciate the insight of the Fort Worth ISD Administration in recognizing the importance of partnering with organizations such as The James L. West Center for Dementia Care to educate emerging leaders seeking positions in the healthcare field.”

    The impact of this healthcare-focused P-TECH program is expanding with this fall’s next starting cohort already registering more than 40 class members.

    For 30 years, the James L. West Center for Dementia Care, a not-for-profit organization, has served those living with dementia and related disorders. The Center continues to build upon its excellence in dementia education by expanding its service lines to meet the needs of the community. The West Center will open its off-site Day Program in southwest Fort Worth in 2023. The James L. West Center provides residential care, an Adult Day Program, as well as professional and family caregiver education.

  • Nonprofit estimates 8 out of 10 Dallas ISD students may not receive a third meal

    Nonprofit estimates 8 out of 10 Dallas ISD students may not receive a third meal

    Dallas-based Hunger Busters is on a mission to ensure children in Dallas ISD receive a third meal. The organization estimates at least 8 out of 10 DISD children may not receive dinner – their access to food is often limited to free/reduced price breakfasts and lunches provided at school.

    The lack of a third meal means many students arrive at school with a nearly 24-hour gap without food.

    “If you’re malnourished, it’s hard to have the energy to go to school, and then it’s harder to focus when you’re there,” said Latame Phillips, Ph.D., Hunger Busters CEO. “Research shows that when students are fed a third meal, their test scores, attendance rates and behavior all improve significantly.”

    In 2018, the City of Dallas designated May 25 as Hunger Busters / 145 Day to raise awareness of children’s food insecurity. Based on pre-COVID enrollment numbers for Dallas ISD, Hunger Busters estimated 145,000 students in need; thus the 145th day of the year (May 25 in non-Leap Years) was established as Hunger Busters / 145 Day.

    This year, Hunger Busters is asking people to donate half of what they would spend on brunch to Hunger Busters. Funds raised will help increase the number of meals Hunger Busters provides.

    Currently, Hunger Busters volunteers make and deliver nearly 3,500 dinners to children in Dallas ISD who don’t have access to a third meal at home.

    Hunger Busters works with partners like Central Market, Panera, Eatzi’s and others to supply fresh bread, homemade cookies, fruit and vegetables and high-quality meats and cheeses for students’ meals.

    “We only serve meals made with fresh, natural ingredients – we only provide food we would actually eat ourselves,” Phillips said. “Our goal is to expand children’s food knowledge and experiences. We call it NEW-trition.”

    Volunteers make and deliver meals to 11 DISD schools and six afterschool programs in Dallas zip codes with the highest disparities in income, health and food access.

    “In a region with 22 Fortune 500 companies, no Dallas ISD student should go hungry,” said

    Dee Baker Amos, Hunger Busters Board Chairwoman and CEO of DBA & Associates. “Investing in the lives of kids is feeding our future. By providing a nourishing third meal to children in Dallas, Hunger Busters is making today better and tomorrow brighter.”

  • Retina Foundation announces Hunt Family Visionary Award

    Retina Foundation announces Hunt Family Visionary Award

    The Retina Foundation of the Southwest – a medical research organization committed to vision loss prevention and sight restoration – named the Still Water Foundation as the 2023 Hunt Family Award recipient for supporting innovative solutions for retinal disease treatment.

    The Still Water Foundation funded transformational research of an ocular drug delivery device that provides an effective and low-risk treatment for patients living with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The device is placed in the surface tissue of the eye and the medicine is delivered in a slow-release manner for up to a year. It serves as an optimal non-invasive method that reduces the number of clinic visits per year and can be removed easily.

    “The Still Water Foundation has been a crucial partner in funding research and patents to accelerate treatment efforts.  They recognize the challenges many are facing due to vision loss and seek breakthrough solutions,” said Karl Csaky, chief executive and medical officer of the Retina Foundation. “At the Retina Foundation, we are positioned to make a significant impact on population health through our research-based, patient-centered and expedited approach.”

    Based in Austin, the Still Water Foundation’s mission is to promote global well-being through its high-impact philanthropy in the areas of education, the arts, the environment and partnering with rural Texas communities.

    “We are honored to receive the Hunt Family Visionary Award, named after a family with a long tradition of philanthropy, much like our own legacy at Still Water Foundation. Research from the Retina Foundation has and will continue to improve the quality of life for those battling retinal diseases. Our support of the Foundation’s ocular drug delivery device will provide millions of Americans with a therapeutic drug for AMD treatment,” said Ellen Ray, CEO of the Still Water Foundation.

    The annual Visionary Luncheon will take place May 18, celebrating the Foundation’s mission to preserve and restore sight and recognizing those who have taken monumental steps to support the latest innovations that improve patients’ quality of life.

  • Grant Halliburton Foundation launches Hispanic outreach initiative, website

    Grant Halliburton Foundation launches Hispanic outreach initiative, website

    Grant Halliburton Foundation was established in 2006 in memory of a Dallas teen who battled depression and bipolar disorder for several years before his suicide death at the age of 19. The Foundation that bears his name works to help families and young people recognize the signs of mental illness through a variety of avenues including education, conferences, collaboration and encouragement. 

    The Foundation provides mental health education, training and support to students, educators, parents and professionals. The Foundation also offers Here For Texas, which includes HereForTexas.com and the Here For Texas Mental Health Navigation Line. These free community tools aim to offer easy access for North Texans seeking mental health and addiction information and resources.

    This month, the Foundation has added a Spanish language website, HereForTexas.com/espanol to ensure that mental health information and a provider database are also available in Spanish. This launch purposefully coincides with Mental Health Awareness Month, the national movement to raise awareness about mental health,

    “The Hispanic population is diverse and comprises the largest ethnic minority group in Texas at 50 percent,” Garcia said. “While this community suffers from the same mental health conditions the rest of the country faces, cultural differences and language barriers may lead mental health professionals to misdiagnose Hispanics, and fear of having the stigma of a mental illness prevents some from seeking help, ” says Blanca N. Garcia, LCSW-S, director of mental health resources at Grant Halliburton Foundation.

    According to the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) and Hispanic Star:

    ·       18% of Hispanic adults have a mental illness

    ·       Only 34% access mental health treatment

    ·       Treatment barriers are stigma, cost and language

    ·       More than 10 million Latinos in the U.S. reported having a mental illness

    ·       35.1% of Hispanic or Latino residents received treatment for mental illness.

    The goals of the Hispanic outreach initiative are to make all of Grant Halliburton Foundation’s information, presentations and resources available in Spanish, with information that is culturally relevant and appropriate for people who are Hispanic or who grew up in a Hispanic household. To that end, the Foundation has translated all of its marketing and educational materials into Spanish, updated the information in its brochures and mental health presentations to ensure that they are accurate, and will continue to provide bilingual services to callers on the Here For Texas Mental Health Navigation Line.

    Callers to the no-cost Here For Texas Mental Health Navigation Line are connected to a trained mental health navigator who can offer support and information about services and resources in their area. These are trained volunteers who gather pertinent information from the caller regarding their needs. Then, an experienced mental health professional helps to identify specific resources tailored to the caller’s needs within 24 hours. Note: The Mental Health Navigation Line is not a crisis line, but navigators can direct callers to additional crisis resources.

    Garcia added, “I want the Hispanic community to start talking about mental health, so they aren’t afraid to reach out for care when someone in the family needs help. From new families immigrating to the U.S. to first-generation Texans, there are so many mental health conditions that go unaddressed. We’re taught to be strong and keep working hard no matter what. Our Hispanic families deserve to be taken care of too, especially in terms of mental health. We want to make sure they have access to information, support and resources.”

    Grant Halliburton Foundation works with other trusted Hispanic-serving organizations like The Concilio, Therapy Works Counseling, Bachman Lake Together, Cannenta Center, Community Does It and DFW Hispanic Heritage Ambassadors, among others. As partners, the Foundation provides its services and resources to these organizations. “We hope the Foundation will be the go-to place for mental health questions, information and resources for the Hispanic community,” Garcia said.

    Mental illness affects individuals from all walks of life, and suicide rates are rising at alarming levels for many, including Black and Hispanic communities. Garcia remarked, “I’m proud Grant Halliburton Foundation is choosing to lead by example, and I hope that those who look like me and my family members, speak the language, and share the culture will trust us. Our goal is to help them find appropriate help and resources for themselves and their families.”

    United HealthCare provided a grant to translate the website. The grant also allowed the Foundation to hire two Hispanic Outreach staff members who are master’s-level social workers and native Spanish speakers.

  • YMCA Fort Worth brings back diabetes prevention program

    The YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth announced that it is relaunching its Diabetes Prevention Program later this month at the recently constructed Bedford Center YMCA, 2801 Forest Ridge Drive, Bedford. The facility was built by Bedford to provide needed recreational and well-being activities for the city’s 50,000 residents, with the YMCA providing management and programming expertise.

    The Diabetes Prevention Program had been sidelined because of the pandemic. The relaunch begins with an in-person program on Wednesday, April 26, at The Bedford Center YMCA.  In all, 25 sessions are offered during the course of a year, starting on a weekly basis and then reduced to a monthly schedule as participants embrace healthier lifestyles.

    The YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program incorporates Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) research and studies to help individuals reduce type 2 diabetes risks by eating healthier, increasing physical activity, and losing modest amounts of weight. Research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has shown that this program and similar efforts can reduce the number of new type 2 diabetes cases by 58% for all individuals, and by 71% for adults over the age of 60.

    “Approximately 96 million people in the U.S. are pre-diabetic, which means they are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and all of the complications that go with that diagnosis,” said Kevin McKinnon, association director of community health for the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth. “With the right education and support, we can help prevent this disease, its progression and change lives for the better.”

    The program is also offered through distance learning, or blended virtual and in-person learning formats. All formats include small group sessions with a trained lifestyle coach that address healthier eating, physical activity, and behavioral changes individuals can take to substantially lower their type 2 diabetes risks over the course of a year.

    Throughout the course, participants receive educational materials for each session as well as action-planning journals, and food and physical activity logs to document their progress.

    Program registration is open to individuals at least 18 years old, with a body mass (BM) of 25 or greater (a BM of 23 or greater is required for Asian individuals) and at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes based on a confirmatory blood value or a clinical diagnosis of    Gestational Diabetes during a previous pregnancy.

    “The Diabetes Prevention Program is a great example of the resources that our partnership with the YMCA is bringing to Bedford residents,” said Jessica Bruda, community executive of The Bedford Center YMCA. “It also demonstrates that the Y is more than a fitness facility — it is a holistic approach to support healthy living and a safe and welcoming environment for residents of all ages.”

    The YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program is offered at more than 1,000 sites in 40 states throughout the United States, and has served more than 76,000 participants. Individuals who completed most or all of the sessions experienced an average weight loss of 5.5% within a year, and engaged in more than 160 minutes of exercise per week.

    “There is so much value with this program,” said Mike Brown, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth. “We have the opportunity to substantially improve the well-being of area residents. This new facility and program also showcase how a local government and the YMCA can combine resources for the good of the community.”

  • North Texas Healthy Families to ease cost burden of healthy foods

    North Texas Healthy Families to ease cost burden of healthy foods

    Families dependent on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits may be feeling the pinch since emergency allotments put in place during the pandemic ended on March 1. But a local effort to supplement SNAP benefits for the purchase of fresh produce can provide some relief, making it easier to put healthy food on the table.

    Double Up Food Bucks—a national program funded locally by North Texas Healthy Communities (NTHC), an outreach arm of Texas Health Resources that implements Blue Zones Project® Fort Worth—allows SNAP recipients to double their savings on the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and grocery stores. Rolled out in May 2020, the program has processed nearly 50,000 Double Up Food Bucks transactions at participating locations, delivering more than $330,000 in benefits to SNAP recipients. Double Up Food Bucks is currently offered at Cowtown Farmers Market and three G.E. Foodland Fort Worth locations, with more locations on the way.  

    That’s good news for local families. The end to emergency funding means a loss of $95 to more than $400 a month in SNAP grocery benefits offered during the pandemic and extended until Feb. 28, 2023. The reduction in benefits is based on income, number of family members, and other factors. The move is expected to impact about 1.6 million Texas households, as Texas sees about a 35% drop in federal funding for SNAP benefits.

    Double Up Food Bucks launched locally at Cowtown Farmers Market, the longest running farmers market in Fort Worth. In June 2020, the program expanded to serve SNAP recipients shopping at the Tarrant Area Food Bank’s summer Neighborhood Farmers Markets. Later that year, G.E. Foodland, a regional grocer, agreed to offer Double Up Food Bucks at its Elrod’s Cost Plus location at 1524 NW 25th St. in Fort Worth. Soon, two more G.E. Foodland stores came on board: Foodland Markets on S. Ayers Ave. in southeast Fort Worth in December 2020, and Foodland Markets on Mansfield Highway in Forest Hill in March 2021.

    “Between the reduction of SNAP benefits and the rising cost of groceries, this is a challenging time for some families — and research tells us that fresh fruits and vegetables are important to our overall health and well-being,” said Matt Dufrene, North Texas Healthy Communities vice president. “Expanding Double Up Food Bucks means more families have access to those health benefits and can put healthy food on the table while freeing up income for other basic needs.”

    How Double Up Food Bucks Works

    Double Up Food Bucks makes healthier options more affordable at the neighborhood level, where people are accustomed to shopping. SNAP recipients receive 50% off fresh produce at participating grocery stores, up to $10 a day, simply by using their Lone Star Card and mentioning Double Up Food Bucks to the cashier. At Cowtown Farmers Market, that benefit is up to $30 a day.

    “It’s really rewarding to be part of a program that allows local families to put more fresh fruits and vegetables on the table,” said Gregory Joel, manager of Opal’s Farm, which accepts SNAP benefits at Cowtown Farmers Market. “As local farmers, we understand the health benefits and appreciate that this helps make fresh, local produce more affordable and accessible to our community.”

    With the reduction in SNAP benefits, Double Up Food Bucks usage at participating grocery stores is expected to increase. Fortunately, NTHC will be expanding the program later this year to even more farmers markets and farm stands across DFW, thanks to a grant from the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP). NTHC and Texas Health invite additional community partners and organizations to help support and fund Double Up Food Bucks to broaden its reach and impact.

    NTHC efforts to increase access to fresh produce and other healthy staples also include the Good For You Pantry program — creating food pantries with produce and other healthy staples at convenient neighborhood locations, which received a major boost from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds administered by Tarrant County — and Fresh Access, which distributes produce to Fort Worth community centers. Other initiatives involve funding and support for school gardens and urban farms. In addition, the Culled Produce Recovery Program, a partnership with local urban farms and grocery stores, gives new life to unsold produce.

  • The Mammogram Poster Girls launch new program

    The Mammogram Poster Girls announced the launch of a new program, Jamie’s Light of Love. The program was created to provide free screening-mammograms for under/uninsured women under 40 at high risk of developing breast cancer. 

    The Light of Love program was inspired by Jamie Rodriguez who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2022 at the age of 37. She was a tireless supporter and advocate for breast cancer screening for younger women and raised awareness and funds for early detection even as she was in breast cancer treatment herself.

    The Light of Love is a program focused on providing screening mammograms for women under the age of 40 at high risk of developing breast cancer (i.e., those with a close family history of breast cancer). 

    The first Light of Love mammography event will be held in partnership with Methodist Health System on April 14th from 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m..  The Methodist Mobile Mammography Unit will be hosted by BuddyLove Clothing, 2264 Vantage St, Dallas, TX 75207.  Appointments (and a risk assessment) are required.

    The Mammogram Poster Girls Inc. was founded in 2018 to raise awareness of, and funds for, the early detection of breast cancer.  MPG raises money for mammograms, and provides programs to remove barriers to access to screening mammograms to under and uninsured women in medically underserved areas.  

    The organization strives to remove barriers to early detection mammograms for under and uninsured women, focusing on medically underserved areas. The organization focuses their efforts on the southern sector of D/FW, where women are 1.4 times more likely to receive a late-stage breast cancer diagnosis, and 1.2 times more likely to die of breast cancer. (Komen report 2015/2018).  The Poster Girls believe that where you live should not determine if you live. 

  • West Center for Dementia Care launches bilingual education program, Cerebro Sano

    West Center for Dementia Care launches bilingual education program, Cerebro Sano

    The James L. West Center for Dementia Care recently launched its first bilingual education program, “Cerebro Sano” or healthy brain in community centers, online and by invitation.  The program received a two-year grant from Tarrant County’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to expand the Center’s current part-time program to full-time.  With the help of the ARPA funds, James L. West Center for Dementia Care has been able to help Spanish-speaking families around Tarrant County with dementia and caregiver education and invites Latinos of all ages to receive this culturally-relevant dementia training for both prevention and care giving.

    Latinos are 1.5 more likely than other groups at risk of dementia.  In Tarrant County, Latinos make up 29% of the population and are also 50% more likely to be uninsured while over indexing for contributing factors such as cardiovascular disease, and a higher prevalence of conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and depression. Research indicates the onset of these factors occur at a younger age for Latinos than non-Latino whites. The CDC reports that the Alzheimer’s rates for Latinos will quadruple by 2060, to impact 3.5 million people in the U.S.

    “The statistics are alarming, and we are honored to take this critical first step in reaching underserved communities with culturally relevant disease prevention,” stated Cheryl Harding, PhD., CEO of the West Center for Dementia Care.  The bilingual program includes an introduction of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers and its evidence informed curriculum.   

    The “Cerebro Sano” program is designed to increase disease awareness, prevention and promote treatment. Almost 9 out of 10 Hispanics (85%) say it is important for Alzheimer’s and dementia care providers to understand their ethnic or racial background and experiences. And nearly one-fifth of Hispanic Americans (18%) believe discrimination would be a barrier to receiving Alzheimer’s care. Cultural relevancy is critical to this mission while research indicates that over one-third of Hispanic Americans (33%) report having experienced discrimination when seeking health care according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

    “We are excited to be a part of this initiative which holds promise in raising awareness of dementia and its symptoms with the goal of replicating the program across Texas,” stated Lori L Kennedy, Director of Health Services Cornerstone Assistance Network.

    Community activist and James L. West Center Board Member Eva Bonilla remarked, “it’s a privilege to serve and be part of an effort to make the Latinos visible and, at the center, of reducing disease with basic education and prevention information in-language and in our communities. My family has also been affected so I know my community needs to know more about dementia and how to best care for them.”

    “These programs are helpful and important for the older Hispanic population in Tarrant County” stated Rev. Jesús (Jesse) González, Pastor, Gethsemane Presbyterian Church at a recent training session.

    “I am building trust by delivering information that families are hungry to receive; my participants are often afraid to ask questions and, in many cases, don’t have someone to ask,” stated Emily Rodriguez, Bilingual Program Coordinator.  Participants frequently become repeat participants returning with their neighbors or relatives, sometimes with their daughters who serve as important caregivers. “We want everyone in Tarrant County to feel that they can join one of these sessions or reach out for a special class for your group.”

    About James L. West

    James L. West is a faith inspired, not-for-profit organization serving persons impacted by dementia. The West Center provides residential care for persons at all levels and all types of dementia, a Senior Adult Day Program, and an extensive professional and family caregiver dementia education programs. 

  • OneShare Health joins the Alliance for Health Care Sharing Ministries

    OneShare Health, a Christian Health Care Sharing Ministry (HCSM) in Texas, recently announced that it will become a member of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries (AHCSM).

    Katy Talento, Executive Director of AHCSM, said that in addition to being recognized by the federal government as meeting the Affordable Care Act (ACA) definition of ‘Health Care Sharing Ministries’, ministries that belong to the Alliance must have a clear religious identity, an independent board that actively oversees the organization, rigorously managed financial operations, and be transparent with the public about their finances, health care sharing model, and how they differ from other health care solutions.

    “We were very impressed with OneShare Health’s leadership,” said Talento, “including Chief Legal Officer, Buddy Combs, Nancy Atkins, and the entire team that works on government affairs, since that is such a key priority for the Alliance. They were critical partners in working with other ministries to develop robust standards against which Health Care Sharing Ministries should be evaluated.”

    Nancy Atkins, Chief Regulatory Officer at OneShare Health says OneShare’s leadership is excited by the prospect of collaborating with other ministries not only because it will create a path for OneShare Health to continue facilitating a viable alternative to health care, but also for the opportunity to better their Members’ overall experience.

    “We feel that by working together we can accomplish more than each ministry may be able to do independently,” said Atkins. “The Alliance gives us a greater voice when it comes to issues that affect us all, and it also allows OneShare Health the opportunity to lend our talents, and the talents of our legal and regulatory staff, for the greater good.”

    Advocates in public policy at state and federal levels, the Alliance works on issues impacting Health Care Sharing Ministries and provide support through public relations and media to present a true and accurate representation of HCSMs.

    Chief Legal Officer of OneShare, Buddy Combs, said he and the Ministry’s Leadership Team are honored to be a part of something so important.

    “We are incredibly excited for this opportunity to join together with some organizations we greatly respect and admire,” said Combs. “The objective of the Alliance is to gather together likeminded sharing organizations to discuss and work on issues which affect us all. Just like OneShare’s slogan of Better Together, there are many things in which working together is better for all HCSMs. We are grateful that they have trusted us to join their ranks as a member.”

    “Our participation shows we value protecting Members’ interests along with the interests of the Members of our brother and sister ministries,” continued Combs. “Members can also feel confident that they have selected a Health Care Sharing Ministry that is respected by others in this industry.”

  • NAMI North Texas announces 2023 board members

    NAMI North Texas, a chartered affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and NAMI Texas, has announced its 2023 new leadership and members. Heading up the board as president for a one-year term is Dr. Joseph Guillory from the University of Texas at Southwestern with Dr. Mohammad ‘Pasha’ Rahman taking on the role of vice president. Rahman is the Director of Pharmacy Services at Medical City Green Oaks Hospital in Dallas.

    Joining Guillory and Rahman as board members are Nicole Bowers returning as secretary, Paul Sloane returning as treasurer, Heather Bianchi, ShaRonda Young Calderon, Alyse Ferguson, Phyllis Finley, Deborah Goodall, Todd Gyure, Courtney Jaimes, Isaac Padilla, and Claudia Smith.

    Founded in 1982, NAMI North Texas, a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit organization, advocates for access to services, treatment, supports and research and is steadfast in its commitment to raise awareness and build a community for hope for all of those in need. Serving Dallas, Collin, Denton, and Rockwall counties, NAMI North Texas provides essential and free education, advocacy, and support group programs. For more information, visit www.naminorthtexas.org.