UT Health Northeast Receives $5 Million Grant

TYLER – The UT Health Northeast has been awarded a $5.8 million contract from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The grant is to monitor and help reduce the number of Texas babies who suffer from injuries related to abuse. The new program is in addition to several other projects being funded through the newly created UT health Northeast School of Community and Rural Health. Projects funded by the contract will evaluate hospital-based programs designed to prevent abuse, especially head injuries, in a child’s first year of life. The statewide effort will be funded through August 2020.

In a news release, Dr. David Lakey, dean of the UT Health Northeast School of Community and Rural Health, said the program resulted from the Texas Legislature’s desire to more closely monitor and reduce abusive infant head trauma.“The UT School of Community and Rural Health’s staff will work on this project here on our campus in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine and other hospitals throughout the state who are already measuring these data.” And Dr Lakey added, “This is a great example of the statewide programs our staff will be working on. We are excited to partner with the state to improve outcomes for Texas’ youngest residents.”

And, according to Dr. Lakey, education for parents, especially new parents, is essential.