COLUMBUS — The newly formed Health & Behavioral Wellness Council of Greater Colorado County met for its first meeting on Jan. 12. The meeting introduced the members of the council as well as each committee, its purpose and the members involved in the committees.
A full agenda with 41 persons in attendance, either in person or by Zoom heard about the Credit for Life program for high school seniors in all three area school districts by Sharon Johnson and a presentation by Jessica Bergfeld with the Colorado County Indigent Healthcare.
TAMU School of Public Health will be working with the Wellness Council and with two new standing councils, Local Housing Needs and Local Transportation Needs, to conduct a Housing and Transportation Needs Assessment this year.
Senator Joan Huffman’s District Assistant Jennifer Knesek, attended the meeting because of the Senator’s support for the council and seeing how the Sena- tor's office can help.
The 2023 officers are Mazie Leftwich, PsyD, LCSW Emeritus, president; Tracie Lillie, RHIT, vice president of Networking and Programs; Jenni- fer Ramirez-Chavarria, MPH, Needs Assessment; Ja’Shae Horn Carter, vice president of New Services and Providers Search; Elizabeth Espinoza Rodriguez, vice president of Awareness Campaigns; Shirley Isbell, trea- surer and Sarah Hernandez, sec retary.
The 2023 Standing Committees are the Crisis Response and Intervention, Grants and Funding Search, Local Housing Needs, Local Transportation Needs and the Communication and Media Committee.
The next meeting will be held Thursday, Feb. 9 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Colorado County Courthouse in Columbus.
