Purpose

The Office of Border Public Health (OBPH) is dedicated to health programs and educational projects on the Texas and Mexico border with the goal of having a healthy border line. OBPH works with agencies along the state of Tamaulipas to better serve the bi-national populations. The OBPH in region 11 attempts to meet the health needs of bi-national communities along the Texas-Mexico border region.

Border Community Public Health Coalitions include:

• Los Dos Laredos y Nuevo Leon Binational Health Council (Laredo/Nuevo Laredo/Nuevo León)
• SMAC Binational Health Council (Starr County/Miguel Aleman/Camargo)
• HIDA REY Binational Health Council (Hidalgo County/Reynosa)
• Brownsville-Matamoros Binational Health Council

Activities

• Provide essential public health services to meet Healthy Border objectives.
• DSHS OBPH staff are available to provide training to promotores de salud/community health workers on various public health issues:
• Develop and conduct community and school-based interventions and projects based on border community needs.
• Provide public health education to border residents.
• Develop curriculums and train Community Health Workers (Promotores de Salud) on health topics to improve community health.
• Establish and mobilize partnerships to implement public health interventions.
• Facilitate binational collaboration and communication.

OBPH Main Website

Contacts

Alma G. Ochoa-Del Toro, MPH 
Program Manager, Office of Border Public Health (OBPH) 
Phone: (956) 421-5595 
Email: alma.ochoadeltoro@dshs.texas.gov 

Alberto M. Perez, MPH 
Regional Manager, Population-Based Programs 
Phone: (956) 336-0691 
Email: alberto.perez@dshs.texas.gov 

601 W. Sesame Dr. 
Harlingen, TX 78550 
Phone: 956-421-5595 
Fax: 956-444-3256 
Email: phr11obph@dshs.texas.gov