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Project Info

What is STEPS?

STEPS is:

  • A Series of projects that promote school health education.
  • Health research with the purpose of educating our Rio Grande Valley children and families to lead healthier lives.
  • Health Education that promotes physical activity and better nutrition to decrease obesity rates and chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
  • Children enrolled in local Independent School Districts (ISD) and their families.
  • Implementation of Bienestar/NEEMA Coordinated School Health Program (BN CSHP) in schools.
  • A UTRGV group comprised of faculty members with expertise in medicine, fitness, nutrition, and health education.
  • Collaboration, local and state, for partnership opportunities to join forces to help improve Rio Grande Valley community health.

Operations

The STEPS projects operate under grant funding and are overseen by the UTRGV Department of Health and Human Performance.

STEPS projects strive to sustain the BN CSHP in school districts while disseminating to others once funding ends.

The BN CSHP is property of the Social and Health Research Center (SAHRC).

UTRGV-STEPS History of Grant Funding

$2.8M grant funded by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). Grant Award No. HHS0004932.

Dr. Zasha Romero, principal investigator. 2021-2025, Current.

$146,000 grant funded by CIGNA Foundation under The Social and Health Research Center (SAHRC). Grant Award No. 56152155.

Dr. Zasha Romero, principal investigator. 2020-2021

$1.4M grant funded by The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health. Grant Award No. 1 CPIMP171151-01-00 from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH).

Dr. Roberto Trevino, principal investigator, 2018-2020

Message From STEPS Members

Welcome to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley - South Texas Early Prevention Studies (STEPS) web page.

The STEPS executive members proclaimed that the key to help decrease childhood obesity and the developing chronic illness rates in our Rio Grande Valley is targeting preschoolers by providing them early learning about healthy and active lifestyles.

Since 2018, the STEPS projects focus on preschool health education and implementing the Bienestar/NEEMA Coordinated School Health Program (BN CSHP) in local independent school districts.

The STEPS projects are a cohort population whom year by year increment their learning about health, nutrition, healthy behaviors, and chronic illness prevention. The health education implementation settings are schools, homes, and hospitals.

Commitment and dedication are needed to achieve the STEPS mission. The UTRGV community and all involved partners portray the passion needed to make a difference in the lives of our RGV children. Together we can assure our youth will not grow up to be a statistic of chronic illnesses.

Thank you for taking the time to visit the STEPS website!

The STEPS executive members,
Dr. Roberto Trevino
Dr. Zasha Romero
Dr. Lin Wang
Dr. Lisa Salinas
Dr. Juan C. Lopez
Ms. Elizabeth Alanis, Project Director