1. Border Health Commission
United States – México
Border Health Commission

2. Border Region – 100 km or 62 miles
La Paz Agreement (1983) and P.L (1994)

3. History of the U.S.-México Border Health Commission (BHC)
Public Law (October 22, 1994)
Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States to establish the full Commission (July 24, 2000)
Executive Order by U.S. President George W. Bush (December 21, 2004) designating the BHC as an Public International Organization

4. Mission
To provide international leadership to optimize health and quality of life along the United States – Mexico border.

5. Goals
Institutionalize a domestic focus on border health that can transcend political changes
Create an effective venue for binational discussion to address key public health issues at the border

6. Strategic Principles
Our Purpose –
Leadership
Focus
Venue

7. BHC Composition and Structure
Two nations
Ten border states (six Mexican States, four U.S. States)
Two Sections: United States and México Sections
12 Individual Members each (24 total members)
Includes 10 State Health Officers
Led by two Commissioners:
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Secretary of Health of México

8. BHC Roles Facilitate identification, study and research
Be a catalyst to raise awareness
Promote sustainable partnerships for action
Serve as an information portal

9. BHC Methods: Committees and Work Groups
Standing Committees
Priority Setting – strategic planning
Program, Planning and Evaluation
Budget
Work Groups
Communication and Outreach
By-Laws
Border Health Research

10. Strategic Directions Our Focus – Access to Care
Research and Data Collection
Health Promotion and Education

11. Commission State Outreach Offices (OROs)
Our Linkages to the Community

12. Strategic Actions Our Actions - Healthy Border 2010
Border Binational Health Week
National Infant Immunization Week / Vaccination
Week of the Americas
Border Health Research
Pandemic/Avian Influenza Planning
Border Lead Issues
Border Tele-health
Border Health Information Platform

13. Healthy Border 2010
Instrument for community assessment, planning and action similar to Healthy People 2010
22 General health indicators in 11 focus areas
Access to Care, Environmental Health, Oral Health
Maternal, Infant & Child Health, Mental Health
Cancer, Diabetes, Respiratory Diseases
Immunization & Infectious Disease, HIV/AIDS
Injury Prevention
Healthy Border mid-course review completed in December, 2006

14. Healthy Border 2010 Progress toward Year 2010 Goals:
10 of the 14 have made progress toward 2010 goals
7 have achieved 60% or more of the goal
Of these seven, 2 have surpassed 2010 goal –
Hepatitis A and Childhood Injury
4 objectives are moving away from 2010 Goals-
AIDS
Hepatitis B
Tuberculosis
Motor Vehicle Deaths

15. Border Binational Health Week (BBHW)
Is a week-long series of events on both sides of the border that brings awareness to health needs and issues, begun in 2004
The annual theme of BBHW is on “Families in Action for Health”
The overall goal is to promote sustainable partnerships
Major events in 2006 included the Border Health Research Forum, TB Forum, Health Policy Forum and Tobacco Forum

16. National Infant Immunization Week / Vaccination Week in the Americas
A partnership of border agencies and community organizations with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Pan American Health Organization that works to coordinate activities along the border to promote immunizations
Border specific events began in 2004 with U.S. border states taking the lead each year
Texas took the lead state for 2007 – Hidalgo County, Texas was the lead county for the border
The event was celebrated April 21-28, 2007

17. Border Health Research Initiative
Focused on the development of a long-term border health research agenda
The initial border Health Research Forum took place in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico in October 2006
A Border Health Research Advisory Council will be established to assist the BHC in its work
Biennial research forums will be hosted by the BHC

18. Pandemic Influenza Planning
Joined with the Association of State and Territorial State Health Officers (ASTHO) to host a forum on Binational Public Health Preparedness in August, 2006
Hosted a federal-state Binational Pandemic Influenza Forum in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico in November, 2006
With support of the states of California and Baja California conducted a federal-state Binational Influenza Table Top Workshop in San Diego, California in February, 2007
Supported in May 2007, the California – Baja California Binational Avian Influenza Table Top Exercise – focused on the multi-sector approach that included the agricultural and wild life sectors in partnership with health

19. Lead (Pb) Issues Along the Border
A partnership with the Border States and U.S. and Mexico federal agencies on the issues surrounding lead (Pb) in candy and other non-paint sources
An initial binational discussion took place in January, 2006 led by New Mexico and a follow-up binational work shop was hosted by California in September, 2006
California is taking the lead in the development of a Binational Lead Work Group, Binational Lead Outreach Project and publication of a binational technical report

20. Border Tele-health Initiative
Led by the State of Nuevo León and the Autonomous University of Nuevo León
Seeks to promote development of a binational network of Tele-health linkages
Initial planning has included a site visit to the University of Arizona, Tucson in December 2006
Plans are also underway for a tri-state collaborative among institutions in the states of Nuevo León, Sonora and Arizona
Other interested institutions include Texas Tech Health Science Center – El Paso

21. Border Health Information Platform
A partnership with the National Center for Health Statistics, CDC and the México Secretariat of Health
Is focused on establishing an electronic web-based border health database
The goal is to improve the capacity for assessment and research of border health problems
Mexico has completed their portion of the electronic database available at

22. Web Page - Http://www.borderhealth.org
Contact:
Amb. Eleazar Benjamín Ruíz y Avila
Executive Secretary
Mexico Section, BHC
Mexico City, Mexico
Dan Reyna
General Manager
United States Section
El Paso, Texas