El Periódico USA, Wednesday July 10, 2024 by El Periodico U.S.A.

Governor Abbott To Lead Economic Development Mission

Governor Greg Abbott announced he will lead an economic development mission to Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan, organized by the Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Office and the Texas Economic Development Corporation. The Governor departed on July 5, 2024, and will return on July 13, 2024. During the three-nation trip, the Governor will meet with world-class businesses and government leaders to drive forward progress in industries critical to the future of the global economy.

“As we look towards the future, Texas is leading the way by advancing freedom and opportunity through cooperation and mutual economic development to empower the next generation,” said Governor Abbott. “Texas offers businesses in critical and emerging industries, such as semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, across the country and around the world the tools and the opportunities to grow and thrive. I look forward to meeting with business and government leaders in Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan to strengthen our economic and cultural partnerships as we work together to forge the future of innovation.”

The Governor will be joined on the trip by First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Secretary of State Jane Nelson, the Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Office Executive Director Adriana Cruz, Texas Economic Development Corporation Board Secretary Adrian Cannady, Texas Economic Development Corporation President & CEO Aaron Demerson, and a delegation of five Texas legislators and 23 Texas business and community leaders. Gromer Jeffers with The Dallas Morning News will also join the delegation as the Texas pool reporter.

Since taking office in 2015, Governor Abbott has led multiple business development missions to Cuba, France, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. First Lady Abbott and the Texas Secretary of State have also led business development missions to the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. During the most recent trips in 2023 and 2024, Governor Abbott signed economic development agreements between Texas and France and Texas and the United Kingdom to promote trade, foster innovation, and attract new foreign direct investments to Texas. This will be the Governor’s first visit to Taiwan and South Korea and his third trip to Japan.

Taiwan led all nations for foreign direct

investment in Texas in 2022 at over $5 billion. Over the past 10 full years through 2023, companies from Taiwan have invested $5.29 billion in eight foreign direct investment projects creating more than 2,200 jobs in Texas. In the first five months of 2024, Taiwanese companies have invested $103 million in two additional projects expected to create more than 220 new jobs in Texas. Texas trade with Taiwan totaled $21.3 billion in 2023, making Taiwan the seventh-largest total trade partner with Texas.

South Korea leads all nations for foreign direct investment by amount of total capital investment in Texas over the last decade. Over the past 10 full years through 2023, companies from South Korea have invested $20.59 billion in 38 projects creating more than 7,000 jobs in Texas. In the first five months of 2024, South Korean companies have invested $27.52 billion in nine additional projects expected to create more than 4,800 new jobs in Texas. Texas trade with South Korea totaled $32 billion in 2023, making South Korea the fourth-largest total trade partner with Texas.

Japan leads all nations for the number of jobs created by foreign direct investment projects in Texas over the last decade. Over the past 10 full years through 2023, companies from Japan have invested $10.87 billion in 129 projects creating more than 20,000 jobs in Texas. In the first five months of 2024, Japanese companies have invested $1.47 billion in six additional projects expected to create more than 520 new jobs in Texas. Texas trade with Japan totaled $31.2 billion in 2023, making Japan the fifth-largest total trade partner with Texas.

The trip is sponsored and paid for by the Texas Economic Development Corporation, an independently funded and operated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization responsible for marketing and promoting Texas as a premier business location. Along with the Governor’s Economic Development & Tourism Office, these two organizations are the cornerstone of Governor Abbott’s economic development agenda to build a bigger, better Texas.

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Monday the hiring of Braden Phetkhamchanh as associate athletic trainer and Maria Fernanda Rodriguez as assistant athletic trainer.

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If you’re looking for a fun and fulfilling activity this summer, consider volunteering for the Games of Texas-Brownsville. Scheduled from July 25 through July 28.

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Office of the Texas Governor|Press Release.

UTRGV doctoral student named UT System’s Jess Hay Chancellor Fellow

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS– Edinburg native Ashley Leal is the first UTRGV College of Education and P-16 Integration (CEP) student to receive the prestigious Jess Hay Endowment for Chancellor’s Graduate Student Research Fellowship, awarded by The University of Texas System.

She is the second UTRGV doctoral student in university history to earn the honor. In 2018, Hazel H. Dadanlar, then a doctoral candidate in the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship, was selected.

The fellowship, established by former UT System Regent Jess Hay, is designed to “tie graduate education to timely and high-quality research benefiting the State of Texas.” Two $15,000 awards are made annually to eligible UT System institutions.

Recipients are known as “Jess Hay Chancellor’s Fellows.”

“I think it’s just amazing that UT System has acknowledged the research being done in the field of education but that is also done at UTRGV,” Leal said. “This recognition is a testament to the work we’re doing here at UTRGV that has not been done before.”

A 2011 legacy alumna, Leal holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from The University of Texas-Pan American. She then earned a master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from UTRGV in 2016. She completed her doctorate in Teaching and Learning this summer and will officially graduate during the Fall 2024 Commencement in Edinburg.

As a student, she was involved in the university’s CHAPS – Community Historical Archaeology Project as well as Ancient

Landscapes of South Texas, which piqued her interest in research.

She currently works for a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, Virginia, called TAPS - Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. TAPS provides bereavement care and resources to individuals grieving the loss of military or veteran loved ones. Part of her work includes conducting research and collecting survivor data within the organization, and conducting research is an aspect of both work and school she truly enjoys she said.

RESEARCH ON LIPAN APACHE TRIBE

Leal was awarded Jess Hay fellowship because of the research conducted as part of her dissertation on the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas, to which Leal belongs. The dissertation – “The Lipan Apache (Ndé) Tribe of Texas Powwow: A Curriculum of Culture(s) and Pedagogy of Place” – examines how identity and the powwow cultural gathering influence pedagogy and curriculum so that learning is performed, preserved, transmitted and transformed.

Dr. Alma Rodriguez, dean of the UTRGV College of Education and P-16 Integration, said Leal successfully defended her doctoral dissertation this summer.

“Ashley Leal is very deserving of this important fellowship,” Rodriguez said. “She has been an outstanding graduate student who has conducted cutting-edge research in our doctoral program. I am very happy and proud that Ashley has been named a Jess Hay Fellow.”

Leal said she is grateful to those who encouraged and supported her research, including Rodriguez; Dr. Laura M. Jewett, UTRGV professor of Teaching and Learning and chair of Leal’s dissertation committee; Dr. Pauli Badenhorst, UTRGV assistant professor of Teaching and Learning and committee member; and Dr. Ana Carolina Díaz Beltrán, UTRGV assistant professor of Teaching and Learning.

“I would also like to acknowledge my tribe, the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas, and my husband, Reynaldo Leal Jr., for continuing to encourage me throughout this journey,” she said.

Choir

teacher sentenced

McALLEN– A 33-year-old Mexican citizen has been sentenced for receiving child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Orlando Diaz-Ramirez pleaded guilty Sept. 8, 2023, admitting he received 300 videos of child pornography from Israel Flores, 22, Los Fresnos.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now sentenced Diaz to 97 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard that Diaz had an additional eight GB of child pornography on his Dropbox account and that he was employed as a choir teacher at a local middle school at the time of the offense. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that by engaging in the receipt of this material, Diaz’ actions fed into the market for the production of child pornography and the possible victimization of future children.

Flores was also previously sentenced to 97 months in prison. Diaz and Flores must also pay $24,000 and $21,000, respectively, to known victims. Both men will also be ordered to register as sex offenders and must serve five years on supervised release, during which time they will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Not a U.S. citizen, Diaz is expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence.

In October 2020, authorities conducted an investigation identifying an individual uploading child pornography to a Dropbox account. They linked the associated IP address to a residence in Donna that belonged to Diaz.

In April 2021, authorities executed a federal search warrant at the location. At that time, he admitted to downloading child pornography through Kik and uploading it to his Dropbox account. He also stated he possessed a USB drive containing child pornography which he received from Flores.

Authorities then contacted Flores at his residence in Los Fresnos who admitted he provided the USB to Diaz. He had used his Kik account to access accounts in Mega, a cloud-based storage and file hosting service, to obtain the child pornography. Flores then downloaded the material onto the USB drive.

A review of the USB drive revealed 300 videos of child pornography including prepubescent minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexual acts with adults.

Diaz and Flores will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

Leal receives $15,000 as part of the fellowship that will be used for conferences, for the submission fees for the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and for her continued research.

For more information on the College of Education and P-16 Integration, visit, www. utrgv.edu/cep/.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims.

OPINION

BY ANDRES OPPENHEIMER

Maduro’s dirty playbook:

How he’s rigging Venezuela’s election before

votes are cast

Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro is hoping to steal the July 28 presidential elections by resorting to numerous dirty tricks, some of which are alarmingly ingenious. If his electoral ploys work, he may be able to rig the election long before election night, without the need to manipulate the vote count.

According to a recent Meganálisis poll, center-right opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urritia is leading the race with 68.4% of the vote, against 11.3% for Maduro. Other polls show a similarly huge advantage for the united opposition candidate.

But, Maduro, who according to the United States and more than 50 other democracies reelected himself fraudulently in 2018, is banking on old and new electoral schemes to reelect himself for a third sixyear term.

Among his electoral tricks:

First, he has in effect prevented 4.5 million Venezuelan exiles from registering to vote abroad. That amounts to more than 21% of the total number of voters. Only Venezuelan exiles with permanent legal status in the countries where they live and are not seeking asylum will be allowed to vote. According to government figures, this means that only about 107,000 Venezuelans will be allowed to vote abroad.

Second, Maduro has banned the top opposition leaders from running for office. That includes María Corina Machado, who won an opposition primary with more than 92% of the vote in October, and is Venezu-

ela’s most popular opposition figure today.

A Machado-appointed substitute candidate, 80-year-old university professor Corina Yoris, was subsequently prevented from registering to run for office. Machado has since appointed Gonzalez Urrutia, 74, a retired diplomat, to run in her place.

Third, there is no press freedom in Venezuela. Machado had not been interviewed by any major Venezuelan television network in more than a year, she told me in a recent interview. She added that she is campaigning for Gonzalez Urrutia by car because all domestic airlines have been ordered to prohibit her from boarding flights.

“When I stay at a hotel, they send tax authorities with absurd excuses and close it down for one or two months,” Machado told me.

Fourth, the regime has arrested dozens of opposition activists to intimidate others into not campaigning for the united opposition ticket.

Fifth, there are irregularities in 86% of polling places, where an estimated 18.5% of Venezuelans are expected to vote, according to the Venezuelan Communications and Democracy Observatory, a non-government think tank.

In some polling places, there is a suspicious over-registration of voters compared to previous elections, the study’s main author Hector Briceño told me. In addition, many voters in opposition districts are finding that their voting places have been suddenly changed by the Maduro-controlled electoral authorities to far away locations, Briceño said.

Sixth, the Maduro dictatorship has banned key foreign observation missions from the Organization of American States and the European Union from visiting the country. Except for the Carter Center, most of the invited foreign observers will be delegations from Maduro dictatorship allied countries.

Seventh, the ballots are designed to favor Maduro. They feature 13 pictures of a smiling Maduro prominently displayed in the top rows representing as many — often little known — political parties. By comparison, Gonzalez Urrutia’s picture appears only three times and far below, almost lost among many other minor candidates.

Eighth, several formerly well-known opposition parties have been “intervened” by the Maduro regime, but appear on the ballots under their original names. This may lead some voters to believe they are voting for an opposition candidate, when in fact they will be voting for a Maduro-planted one.

Ninth, many polling places are in government-run social subsidies centers where ruling party officials can sway people to vote for Maduro under the threat of losing their benefits, Briceño told me.

The list goes on, and I’m running out of space. But the bottom line is that Venezuela’s election is rigged from the outset. The only question is whether Venezuelans’ generalized rejection of Maduro will be massive enough to overcome the dictator’s catalog of dirty tricks.

New Internal Medicine Residency Program

13 new physicians to be part of first-ever graduate medical education class at Harlingen Medical Center

HARLINGEN – A new Internal Medicine Residency Program at Harlingen Medical Center will help bring additional doctors to the Rio Grande Valley and represents a landmark expansion of medical education in South Texas.

The new program is historic as the first-ever graduate medical education program at Harlingen Medical Center.

During the first year of the program, 13 internal medicine residents will rotate through Harlingen Medical Center, significantly increasing medical coverage in the Harlingen area.

Once the Internal Medicine Program is fully staffed in the third year of the program (in 2026), there will be 39 internal medicine residents rotating through the community hospital.

The first class of physician residents will start their three-year residency this July.

The new residency program recently received accreditation with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, a national organization which accredits graduate medical training programs for physicians in the United States.

“Our mission will be to train excellent physicians to deliver healthcare services in a variety of settings -- and to help a reduce shortages of physicians in our community,” said Candi Constantine-Castillo, CEO of Harlingen Medical Center.

“The educational and clinical components of this exciting project will be great assets for the entire Valley,” Constantine-Castillo added.

The program will provide a supportive and engaging educational environment that promotes research and scholarship -- as well as increasing the assimilation of evidence-based medicine into patient care.

In addition, the program will seek to provide holistic healthcare, promoting wellness, healthy lifestyles, and the advancement of health equity, by supporting efforts to address various factors and needs in the community which affect health (the social determinants of health).

Harlingen Medical Center, a member of Prime Healthcare, has been serving the Valley for more than 20 years. The facility holds various distinctions as a leader in health care to include a Primary Stroke Center, a certified Chest Pain Center, a Level IV Trauma Center, a certified Joint Replacement Center, and a designated “Birthing- Friendly’ hospital for maternity care.

In addition, Harlingen Medical Center has received an “A” grade for patient safety six times in a row, according to the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade ratings. This national distinction recognizes the hospital’s achievements in the provision of patient safety.

Harlingen Medical Center has also won the “Gold” award for care of stroke patients from the American Heart Association -- and received the “Best of the Best Reader’s Choice Award” for “Best Hospital”, according to readers of the Valley Morning Star.

For more information on the new internal medicine residency program, please contact Nikki Herrera, GME Coordinator for Harlingen Medical Center, at 956-365-1926 or at HMC-GME@primehealthcare.com, and visit www.HarlingenMedicalCenter. com.

SPORTS MEDICINE ADDS PHETKHAMCHANH AND RODRIGUEZ TO STAFF

Braden Phetkhamchanh

Phetkhamchanh is joining UTRGV after spending the past three years at William Penn University where he oversaw football, baseball, women’s soccer, men’s golf, and women’s wrestling. Phetkhamchanh also worked closely with team orthopedic physicians, collaborated with athletic performance coaches to coordinate rehabilitation for injured student-athletes, and assisted with gameday operations and practices when needed.

“We’re very excited to have Braden join our staff as an Associate Athletic Trainer,” associate athletic director for sports medicine Steven Kraus said. “He’s coming in with good experience from William Penn University covering multiple sports throughout his tenure that I think will translate very well covering men’s soccer and track & field/cross country. He was a previous student athlete and athletic training student for our Director of Football Medicine, Shane Venteicher, who spoke very highly of him. I look forward to seeing the great things he can do for those

programs and with the management of the training room at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex!”

Phetkhamchanh earned his Master in Sports Management from William Penn in May 2023, a Bachelor of Arts in Athletic Training from Wichita State University in May 2021, and an Associate of Arts in Sports Medicine-Athletic Training in May 2018. He is a Certified Athletic Trainer and an Iowa licensed athletic trainer.

“I’m very excited to be a part of Vaqueros Nation,” Phetkhamchanh said. “I want to thank Steven and the sports medicine department for offering me this opportunity. I have been keeping tabs of UTRGV and the Valley and I believe it is headed in the right direction. I can’t wait to get started and building connections in the Valley.”

Maria Fernanda Rodriguez

Rodriguez spent the spring semester with UTRGV Sports Medicine through an immersion experience where she worked with men’s and women’s tennis and assisted with other sports.

“Maria spent the last semester with us as an immersive student in her final semester of graduate school,” Kraus said. “Not only did she provide great clinical work, but she handled herself in such a professional manner and simultaneously with such joy and

positivity that I knew she would be a great fit in our Sports Medicine department. She is originally from the Rio Grande Valley and has a strong desire to give back to the university and local community which I very much appreciate. I know the women’s soccer, track & field/cross country programs will connect with her immediately and do great things together moving forward!”

Prior to UTRGV, Rodriguez spent 18 months as a student athletic trainer at Abilene Christian in where she covered football, track and field, volleyball, and assisted with other sports. Rodriguez provided a wide range of physical assessment, therapeutic intervention, rehabilitation, performed pre-participation assessments, and collaborated with an orthopedic surgeon, physician, coaches, and parents to create a cohesive training or injury management plan.

“I’m very excited and feel blessed to begin working as an athletic trainer for UTRGV women’s soccer and track and field teams,” Rodriguez said. “Thank you for this great opportunity.”

Rodriguez earned her Master of Athletic Training from Abilene Christian in May and her Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology with Athletic Training Emphasis from St. Edward’s in May 2020. She is a Certified Athletic Trainer and a Texas licensed athletic trainer.

Bryant Farkarlun Signed to MLS Contract by Austin FC

RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men’s soccer team learned on Tuesday that former student-athlete Bryant Farkarlun (2023) signed a Major League Soccer (MLS) contract with Austin FC.

Farkarlun joins the Austin FC first team on a contract guaranteed through the end of the 2024 season with options for 2025 and 2026 while also signing a loan agreement to Austin FC II, allowing him to appear in both MLS and MLS Next Pro matches.

Farkarlun was selected 31st overall in last year’s MLS superDraft becoming the third player in program history to be selected in the MLS SuperDraft after Kyle Edwards (2018-19) was drafted by the Houston Dynamo in the fourth round in 2020 and Reshaun Walkes (2020-21) was drafted by Toronto FC in the third round in 2022.

Farkarlun spent the 2024 preseason with the Austin FC first team scoring two goals and recording one assist. So far this season, Farkarlun has made 12 appearances with ATXFC II in MLS Next Pro and has scored two goals with three assists.

Farkarlun, who earned All-WAC First Team honors in 2023, played in 12 matches while making 11 starts for the Vaqueros and tied for the team lead with five goals and 10 points.

2024 Games Of Texas-Brownsville Looking For Volunteers

If you’re looking for a fun and fulfilling activity this summer, consider volunteering for the Games of Texas-Brownsville. Scheduled from July 25 through July 28, this exciting event will take place across several venues in Brownsville, bringing together over 10,000 athletes from across the state.

This year’s Games are particularly noteworthy, with the introduction of four new sports: volleyball, sand volleyball, kickball, and baseball. These additions expand the total number of sports to 16, promising an action-packed schedule for participants and spectators alike.

Sean De Palma, director of the Parks and Recreation Department for the City of Brownsville, and Araceli Sandoval, athletics supervisor for the Parks and Recreation Department, both said more volunteers will be needed this year since additional games have been added.

“What we do need from everybody is volunteerism. We need to be the ambassadors of our community; we need to champion how amazing and beautiful

Brownsville is,” De Palma said. “It is going to be welcoming people. It’s going to be that human connection in that relationship building that we bring the guests into our home of Brownsville and we welcome them.”

Volunteers will work in short shifts, ensuring that their contributions are manageable and enjoyable without requiring a significant time commitment. Moreover, no prior sports knowledge is necessary to volunteer. Volunteers will be provided with a T-shirt and meals as a token of appreciation for their efforts.

“We invite you all to come out and volunteer,” Sandoval said. “It’s a great event.”

Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of one of the summer’s most exciting events. Volunteering for the Games of Texas-Brownsville is a fantastic way to support your community, meet new people, and experience the thrill of a major sporting event. To sign up or get more information, visit the Games of Texas website at: gamesoftexas. com or email Games of Texas at: GOT@ BrownsvilleTX.gov

Getting to Know the Southland: Baseball

Southland Conference baseball has been on the rise in recent years, ranking as the 14th best conference out of 30 in RPI while placing two teams in the top 70 in 2024.

This is the second-straight season in which the Southland has ranked 14th after jumping from 18th in the 2022 and 20th in 2021.

The Southland was led this season by regular season champion Lamar, the only team to sweep then No. 25 Oklahoma in a 3-game road series this season. Lamar ranked 63rd in the final RPI with a record of 44-15 after spending significant time either ranked or receiving votes. Nicholls, the Southland Conference Tournament Champion, was right behind with an RPI of 69 and a record of 38-22 after playing the toughest schedule in the league, ranking 79th overall and 33rd in non-conference strength of schedule.

In 2024, Southland Conference baseball will consist of 11 members, including UTRGV, Houston Christian, Incarnate Word, Lamar, McNeese, New Orleans, Nicholls, Northwestern State, Stephen F. Austin, Southeastern, and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Texas A&M-Commerce, the other fulltime member of the Southland, does not compete in baseball.

Among current members, Lamar has won a league-best 12 conference championships, followed by Northwestern State with nine, McNeese with five, and Nicholls and Southeastern with one each. McNeese has won the

most Southland Conference Tournament Championships among current members with five, followed by Lamar and Nicholls with three each, Southeastern with two, and Houston Christian and Northwestern State with one each.

Including five from UTRGV and three from fellow new member Stephen F. Austin, current Southland Conference institutions have sent 38 players to Major League Baseball, including seven currently in the show – Grant Anderson (McNeese, Texas Rangers), David Fry (Northwestern State, Milwaukee Brewers), Bryan King (McNeese, Seattle Mariners), Wade Miley (Southeastern, Milwaukee Brewers), Jace Peterson (McNeese, Arizona Diamondbacks), Tanner Rainey (Southeastern, Washington Nationals), and Will Vest (Stephen F. Austin, Detroit Tigers).

Southland Conference alumni to play in the major leagues include pitchers Chuck Finley, a 200-game winner with over 2,600 strikeouts during a 17-year MLB career that included five trips to the all-star game, Ben Sheets, who led Team USA to the 2000 Olympic Gold Medal ahead of a 10-year MLB career that included four all-star games, and John Lakcey, who won three World Series titles during a 15-year MLB career, and sluggers Paul Goldschmidt, a seven-time MLB All-Star, two-time Hank Aaron Award winner and 2022 NL MVP now with the St. Louis Cardinals and competing in his 14th season, and Hunter Pence, who made four all-star teams in 14 seasons while winning two World Series titles.

Collaborative Care Could Help Reduce Disparities in Mental Health Treatment

Mental health care after trauma is critical, especially for people in racial and ethnic minority groups who are at higher risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can be impairing, leading to stress or fear in everyday situations that harms a person’s health and well-being. Finding effective PTSD care is challenging in general, but systemic disparities and limited access make it even harder for people from racial and ethnic minority groups.

A new study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health marks a step toward reducing disparities in mental health care. It found that a collaborative care intervention delivered in real-world settings significantly reduced PTSD symptoms among patients from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds.

How did the researchers treat PTSD symptoms?

Collaborative care is a team-based, patient-centered approach to treating mental disorders in acute and primary care settings. Health care providers work as a team and with the patient to provide comprehensive care tailored to the patient’s needs and preferences. In a “stepped” method, providers systematically and flexibly adjust the level of care based on the patient’s condition and response to treatment.

While previous studies have shown that collaborative care can reduce PTSD symptoms, few studies have examined its ability to address the unique mental health needs and disparities experienced by racial and ethnic minority groups. This study, which had support from the NIH Common Fund’s Health Care Systems Research Collaboratory , is one of the first multisite studies to compare collaborative care among White and non-White trauma patients.

What did the researchers do in this study?

Douglas Zatzick, M.D. , senior investigator on the project, and Khadija Abu, B.A., lead author on the paper, collaborated with colleagues at the University of Washington School of Medicine’s Harborview Trauma Center. They analyzed data from a large clinical trial of stepped collaborative care conducted at 25 trauma centers across the United States.

People who were 18 years and older, seeking care for an injury, and experiencing a high level of distress based on a validated PTSD measure were eligible to participate. All participants self-reported their race and ethnicity. More than half (350 patients) identified as Hispanic or non-White (Asian, American Indian, Black, Native Hawaiian or Alaskan, Pacific Islander, or another race), including those endorsing more than one

race. The other 285 patients identified as non-Hispanic White.

Patients were randomized to receive either enhanced usual care or stepped collaborative care.

Enhanced usual care: Patients received care as usual at the trauma center, which included PTSD screenings, a baseline evaluation, and follow-up interviews. The enhanced aspect was that nurses were notified if a patient’s PTSD score was above a specified threshold.

Stepped collaborative care: The intervention consisted of enhanced usual care plus additional follow-up, including proactive care management, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication. Care was tailored to each patient’s specific postinjury needs and treatment preferences. Patients who showed ongoing PTSD symptoms received stepped-up care in the form of medication adjustments, additional therapy, or both.

Patients rated their PTSD symptoms at intake and 3, 6, and 12 months after their injury. They also completed measures of depression symptoms, alcohol use problems, and physical function at intake and at the three post-injury time points. For each racial and ethnic group, analyses compared scores between patients who received enhanced usual care versus the stepped collaborative care intervention.

What did the researchers find in the study?

Six months after their injury, Hispanic or non-White patients who received collaborative care reported significantly lower PTSD symptoms compared to those who received usual care (with no difference at 3- or 12-months post-injury). The researchers note that most post-injury care occurred within the first 6 months, possibly contributing to a lack of significant effects at 3 months and a drop off of effects at 12 months.

In contrast, no significant group difference was found for non-Hispanic White patients. Those who received usual care or collaborative care showed a similar change in PTSD symptoms at all time points, indicating that the intervention was no more effective than usual care for White patents in this study.

There was no change in self-reported depression symptoms, alcohol use problems, or physical function for either group, regardless of whether they received usual care or collaborative care. This suggests that the intervention specifically helps with PTSD but not with other common trauma-related symptoms.

What do the findings mean?

Findings from this large, randomized clinical trial support comprehensive care delivered by clinicians as effective for treating mental disorders, including PTSD. The study also suggests that this comprehensive form of care is beneficial for people from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds, who often face disparities in medical settings. Among the factors the researchers attribute to the intervention’s success for a diverse group of trauma survivors are its patient-centered focus, flexible nature tailored to individual needs, and emphasis on shared decision-making.

This study is already having a real-world impact by informing trauma care guidelines in the United States. The researchers’ longstanding work with this population has helped establish best practices for screening and treating mental health and substance use disorders among trauma survivors. Based on the results of this study, trauma centers are now implementing a screening and referral process for patients at high risk for mental disorders after injury as part of a new standard of care. The next step for the researchers is to test this new standard of care against the collaborative care intervention . This study was limited by collapsing racial and ethnic groups into two categories, possibly masking differences in treatment responses. Replicating the study with larger samples would allow for more nuanced comparisons to see for which groups the intervention works best. Additionally, many patients in the study had experienced prior traumatic events and been hospitalized for PTSD, which may have led to different results compared to other collaborative care studies. Researchers should continue to explore collaborative care with diverse patient groups across different health care settings and with other mental disorders to refine the intervention and help make mental health care more equitable and effective.

CROSSWORDS LINED UP

ACROSS

Apex

Smartphone downloads

Spaghetti or macaroni

British fellow

Not bright, as colors

Give permission for Car with a meter

High school dance

Nary a soul

Where box office sales are made

Roll call “no” vote

Clumsy person

Share top billing

Drawings on arms, for short Fireplace residue

House’s high storage space

Broadcasts on television

Female choir voice

Where supermarket receipts are given

Skirts’ edges

Nest egg plans: Abbr.

Cavalry horse

Ambulances’ destinations:

Abbr.

Big family

French version of “Peter” Service charge

7/8/24 LINED UP

ACROSS

1. Apex

Family reunion group

5. Smartphone downloads

Where passengers line up for a flight

Hidden stash

9. Spaghetti or macaroni

Turn the __ cheek

Flower stalks

14. British fellow

Spikes on cowboy boots

Highest pair in poker

Great pleasures

Muscle twitches

15. Not bright, as colors

Giant of industry

Rainbow shapes

Shrub used as a fence

Beef or pork

In the __ (nearby)

Made less difficult

Swirl of water

Reddish, as cheeks

DOWN

Perform in a play

Informal discussion

Lengthy skirt

Grand tale

Come into view

16. Give permission for

Make changes to

17. Car with a meter

Guide a vehicle

Huge crowd

18. High school dance

Eerie glow

19. Nary a soul

Initial poker stake

Ship transporting fuel

20. Where box office sales are made

Putting into service

Discontinued

23. Roll call "no" vote

Farm enclosure for swine

24. Clumsy person

Sign fraudulently

25. Share top billing

29. Drawings on arms, for short

Birthday celebration

Snow-clearing vehicle

Massage, as bread dough

Blossoms yet to open

31. Fireplace residue

University of Notre __

“Half” prefix for circle

34. House's high storage space

Black-and-white Chinese bears

Topped with frosting

A bit open, as a door

35. Broadcasts on television

Not at all interested

Apply the brakes 2,000 pounds

Greatly impress

Special talent

“That’s incorrect”

Hiring!

Bull, in Spain

36. Female choir voice

What blindfolds cover

37. Where supermarket receipts are given

“He said, __ said” Round green veggie Utter out loud

40. Skirts' edges

41. Nest egg plans: Abbr.

42. Cavalry horse

43. Ambulances' destinations: Abbr.

44. Big family

45. French version of "Peter"

46. Service charge

47. Family reunion group

48. Where passengers line up for a flight

54. Spikes on cowboy boots

56. Highest pair in poker

57. Great pleasures

Grand tale

Come into view

Birthday celebration

Snow-clearing vehicle

"Half" prefix for circle

Black-and-white Chinese bears

Not at all interested

Apply the brakes

team at El Periodico U.S.A leading newspaper serving the Cameron, Starr, Hidalgo, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo Leon regions. We are seeking talented individuals who are passionate about sales and eager to contribute to our continued success.

59. Shrub used as a fence

Responsabilities

60. Beef or pork

• Identify and pursue sales opportunities within the designated regions

61. In the __ (nearby)

• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients and stakeholders

62. Made less difficult

• Meet and exceed sales targets and objectives

63. Swirl of water

2,000 pounds 13. Greatly impress 21. Special talent 22. "That's incorrect" 25. Hidden stash

64. Reddish, as cheeks

• Provide excellent customer service and support throughout the sales process

• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure seamless execution of sales strategies

Requirements

• Proven track record of success in sales, preferably in the media industry

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills

• Strong organizational and time management abilities

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

• Willingness to travel within the designated regions

26. Turn the __ cheek