EMS and Trauma System Advocates,

As many of you know, the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)  has posted the draft organizational chart on its website for the  Department of State Health Services (DSHS). As of this week, there are  now 2 models for the new organization (chart B includes an Assistant  Comm. for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services). Note: the  mental health stakeholder community has already been successful in  potentially preserving its structure - we know that change is  possible!

If you review the charts, you will notice that there is no Bureau of  Emergency Management, and no structure to support the work in EMS and Trauma Systems that we have been doing together over the past years.

Several supporters of EMS and Trauma Systems have worked together to  develop a proposal (attached). Our proposal includes 3 alternative org  charts, each with a "place" for EMS and Trauma systems. Please take a  few minutes to review the letter that can be printed and sent to Dr.  Hawkins, Mr. Phillips, and Dr. Sanchez. There is also an attachment  that contains a summary of the "Terrell Incident" illustrating how well our system works. Please print it and attach it to the letters that you may choose to send to the HHSC.

Note addresses are as follows:
 

Gregg Phillips, Deputy Commissioner
Health and Human Services Commission
4900 North Lamar Blvd.
Austin, Texas 78751

Eduardo J. Sanchez, M.D., M.P. H.
Commissioner of Health
Texas Department of Health
1100 West 49th Street
Austin, Texas 78756-3199

A second letter that can be sent to your legislator is also attached  (the attached letter is addressed to Rep. Wohlgemuth) . This letter is very similar to the letter to Dr. Hawkins , but appropriate changes  have been made. If you choose to send that letter, please attach a copy of the the Terrell Incident to help make our point - we function best as a system. Legislators that you may want to send letters to  include:

Representative Delisi:
The Honorable Diane White Delisi
3500 SW H.K. Dodgen Loop Drive, Suite 100
Temple, Texas 76504

Senator Jane Nelson:
The Honorable Jane Nelson
1235 S. Main Street #280
Grapevine, Texas 76051
 

Representative Todd Baxter:
The Honorable Todd Baxter
PO Box 2910
Austin, Texas 78767-2910

Senator Steve Ogden:
The Honorable Steve Ogden
893 IH-35N, Suite 220
Round Rock, Texas 78664

Representative Pete Gallego:
The Honorable Pete Gallego
PO Box 777
Alpine, Texas 79831

The time for public comment is very short (we have until 2/13/04). If > you can attend one of the hearings (the schedule is on the HHSC website), please go. If you do not want to provide verbal testimony, you can take this proposal and the Terrell Incident summary and offer it as written testimony.

If we do not act quickly and if we do not work together, we will lose  the structure needed to support the EMS and Trauma System.

 Thank you for taking time to read this message, and for all that you  do. I hope that you find this information useful, and that you will  work with us to preserve the EMS and Trauma System. Please forward  this message to other trauma system advocates and post it on any  website that you think is appropriate. Thank you.

 Donna George, RN, Ph.D, EMT-P
 President, Texas Association of Trauma RAC Chairs
 Chair, Heart of Texas RAC (TSA-M)

office: (254) 202-9466
 fax: (254) 202-4570