Rural Project Examples: U.S.-Mexico Border Region
Effective Examples
Vivir Mejor! (Live Better!) System of Diabetes Prevention and Care
Updated/reviewed August 2022
- Need: To address high rates of diabetes in rural Hispanic/Latino populations near the U.S.-Mexico border.
- Intervention: A comprehensive, culturally competent diabetes education program was implemented in Santa Cruz County, Arizona.
- Results: Since 2012, this program has helped participants better manage their diabetes and increase healthy living behaviors.
Promising Examples
Health without Borders
Updated/reviewed January 2024
- Need: To improve the health of communities in the south central region of New Mexico.
- Intervention: A program was developed to specifically address diabetes prevention and control, behavioral healthcare, and immunization in Luna County.
- Results: During the program, 1,500 immunizations were distributed, baseline measurements of participants improved, and 935 new patients were seen for behavioral health issues.
Other Project Examples
Healthy Mujeres in the Texas Rio Grande Valley
Added December 2024
- Need: To provide basic pregnancy-related and preventive health services to women in the Texas Rio Grande Valley.
- Intervention: A mobile clinic travels to different communities and provides basic preventive care, contraception, and pregnancy testing and ultrasounds.
- Results: Since the program began, clinical staff have provided services to nearly 6,000 women.
FORWARD NM Pathways to Health Careers
Updated/reviewed November 2022
- Need: New Mexico's southwestern counties of Hidalgo, Catron, Luna, and Grant have experienced chronic shortages of primary care providers. New Mexico has the oldest physician population in the country.
- Intervention: A comprehensive workforce pipeline program, including programming for middle and high school students, undergraduate and graduate students, primary care program students, and medical and dental residents.
- Results: The program reaches over 1,000 school-aged students throughout the service areas and provides support for students and medical residents in a variety of healthcare-related programs for rural rotation experiences. FORWARD NM received its designation as an Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in 2012.
For examples from other sources, see: