The City of Pharr was selected by the Alzheimer’s Association and the National Association of County and City Health Officials for the Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map Strategists. The initiative will allow the City of Pharr to enhance its capacity to address cognitive health and dementia for the citizens of Pharr.

Through this initiative, the City of Pharr will designate a part-time HBI Road Map Strategist, a systems change agent working to advance brain health equity. Working in support and coordination with public health partners across the community, the Road Map Strategist will conduct a public health needs assessment, train local officials and key community partners, and lead the implementation of public health action on dementia. The specialist’s guidance will come from the Healthy Brain Initiative State and Local Road Map for Public, 2023-2028.

“We are proud to partner with the Pharr Department of Health on the Healthy Brain Initiative. Everyone deserves a life with the healthiest brain possible. Together, we take on the important work of increasing public knowledge about brain health, risk factors for dementia, and the benefits of early detection and diagnosis, all while advancing equity in our community,” said Gregory Sciuto, Region 7 Leader and Executive Director, Texas Alzheimer’s Association San Antonio & South Texas.

Lone State Recipient

The announcement and grant presentation came during the City of Pharr’s Commission Meeting on Feb. 5.

Maxine P. Vieyra, South Texas Alzheimer’s program manager, and Gregory Sciuto, Region 7 leader and executive director of San Antonio & South Texas, presented the grant to the city commission. Dr. Cynthia Gutierrez, the director of Public Health for the City of Pharr’s newly created Public Health Department, accepted the grant on behalf of the city and spoke about the importance of the project and her role in securing the grant.

“We are grateful for this amazing opportunity to work closely with our citizens and community to address brain health in our community,” said Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D. “Our goal is to help make a difference and work towards educating, informing and creating healthy habits for Alzheimer’s awareness. It is an honor to be the only city chosen in Texas and we look forward to being a model for our local, regional and national communities on this project.”