Sickle Cell Task Force

Newborn Screening Program

Newborn Screening Program

Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle Cell Task Force

Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 52, directs the Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) Executive Commissioner to establish and maintain a task force to raise awareness of sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait. The purpose of the Sickle Cell Task Force is to study and advise the department on implementing the recommendations made in the 2018 Sickle Cell Advisory Committee Report published by the Sickle Cell Advisory Committee or any other report the executive commissioner determines is appropriate.

Upcoming Meetings

DateTime Location
August 19, 20251:00 p.m.Robert Bernstein Building – K-100, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756
December 12, 20251:00 p.m.Robert D. Moreton Building – M-100, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756

Future meeting dates and related information are subject to change.

Past Meetings and Materials

All recorded webcasts

DateAgendasMinutesWebcast RecordingHandouts and Presentations
June 26, 2025AgendaPendingWebcast Recording 
December 10, 2024AgendaMinutesWebcast Recording 
August 19, 2024AgendaMinutesWebcast Recording 
May 3, 2024AgendaMinutesWebcast Recording 
December 1, 2023AgendaMinutesWebcast Recording 
August 18, 2023AgendaMinutesWebcast RecordingSyndromic Surveillance Report

Newborn Screening sickle cell data

Texas sickle cell mortality data
July 11, 2023AgendaMinutesWebcast Recording 
February 24, 2023AgendaMinutesWebcast Recording 
December 1, 2022AgendaMinutesWebcast Recording2022 Legislative Report

Human Dimensions of Organizations Project
August 19, 2022AgendaMinutesWebcast RecordingSyndromic Surveillance Report
May 27, 2022AgendaMinutesWebcast Recording 
April 1, 2022 AgendaMinutesWebcast Recording 2021 Legislative Report 
November 10, 2021 Agenda Minutes Webcast Recording  
August 20, 2021AgendaMinutesWebcast RecordingSyndromic Surveillance Report

Committee Roster

Sickle Cell Task Force Roster 2023-2025
NameCityMembership CategoryTerm ExpirationPublic Health Region
Presiding Chair Titilope Fasipe, M.D., Ph.D.HoustonRepresentative of a health-related institution20236/5
Melissa Frei-Jones, M.D., M.S.C.I.San AntonioPhysician specializing in hematology20248
André Harris, M.S.W.HoustonMember of the public who has sickle cell disease (SCD) or is a parent of a person with SCD or sickle cell trait (SCT)20256/5
Alecia Nero, M.D., M.S.C.S.DallasPhysician specializing in hematology20242/3
Presiding Vice-Chair Marqué Reed-ShackelfordHoustonMember of the public who has SCD or is a parent of a person with SCD or SCT20236/5
Linda WadeAustinMember from a community-based organization with experience addressing the needs of individuals with SCD20247
Vacant Member from a community-based organization with experience addressing the needs of individuals with SCD  
Vacant Member of the public who has SCD or is a parent of a person with SCD or SCT  
Vacant Texas Education Agency representative  
Vacant Texas Health and Human Services Commission representative  
Vacant Physician with experience addressing the needs of individuals with SCD or SCT  
Vacant Researcher from a public health-related or academic institution with experience addressing SCD or SCT  
Vacant Health care professional with experience addressing the needs of individuals with SCD or SCT  

 

Committee Documents

Committee Contact

Phone

512-939-1216

Email

NewbornAdvisory@dshs.texas.gov

Mailing Address

Newborn Screening Unit
PO Box 149347
MC-1918
Austin, TX 78714-9347
United States

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