TMA Alliance Community Service

TMA, TMAA, and the TMA Foundation (TMAF) work together to improve the health of Texans through numerous programs. TMA provides the scientific and clinical research and information while TMAF provides the funding. The Alliance brings these invaluable programs to their community.

TMA-Sponsored Programs

Texas BookShare
Since 2018, the Texas BookShare program has provided over 1,500 free books to children in underserved communities. Working with nonprofit The Leaders Readers Network and the generous support of TMA Foundation, the program allows alliance chapters and local clinics to have doctors "prescribe" health-related books to their child patients, helping to educate them on the importance of nutrition, physical activity, and more. If you'd like to start your own BookShare program in your county, visit our Texas BookShare page  and fill out the application form.



Vaccines Defend What Matters
 Vaccines Defend What Matters is TMA’s integrated, multimedia public health education and advocacy effort to overcome vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccination rates in Texas. The campaign includes fact sheets, videos, and a comprehensive social media toolkit to help combat misinformation about vaccines.



Hard Hats for Little Heads
Hard Hats for Little Heads was created for Texas physicians, medical students, and Alliance members to help prevent head injuries and encourage safe exercise in their communities. Through this program, more than 325,000 children have received bicycle helmets. Contact TMA's outreach coordinator Tammy Wishard at (800) 880-1300 ext. 1470, or email Tammy.



Walk With a Doc Texas
Walk With a Doc is a non-profit organization that encourages healthy physical activity in people of all ages, and seeks to reverse the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle in order to improve the health and well-being of the country. TMA is now part of this national grassroots movement. Walk With a Doc Texas has a proven track record of helping people commit to a healthy lifestyle through monthly, physician-led walks throughout Texas.



TMAF Grant Support
Each year TMAF accepts applications from county medical societies and Alliance or medical student chapters for community health improvement programs. Alliance chapters may apply for up to $7,500 in matching funds to support their health improvement initiative focused on any of TMA’s priorities: tobacco use; obesity/metabolic syndrome; mental health and substance use disorders; violence, victimization, and unintentional injuries; vaccine-preventable diseases (immunizations); unplanned pregnancy; and environmental health (or hazards). Find out more and download the application on the TMAF website.

TMAA Programs & Initiatives

Opioid Education and Prevention Program
In spring 2019, TMAA hosted an Opioid Education Symposium featuring speakers with firsthand experience with addiction and substance abuse: Carlos F. Tirado, MD, clinical associate professor at UT Austin Dell Medical School and President of the Texas Society of Addiction Medicine; Mark Kinzly, co-founder of the Texas Overdose Naloxone Initiative (TONI) and member of the Board of Directors at the National Harm Reduction Coalition; and Susan Hoemke, mother, public speaker, and the author of Healing Scarred Hearts.

As part of the symposium, each attendee received an opioid education and prevention toolkit to begin the process of educating their family, neighbors, and community about addiction. TMAA's goal is to educate the Family of Medicine on how to recognize and treat addiction, then help them extend that education to their community. TMAA toolkits contain educational brochures and DVD (co-branded with AMAA) and drug deactivation kits (Dispose RX and Deterra) to distribute within the community.

Opioid abuse resources:
Texas Medical Association
National Institute for Health Care Management
Morenarcanplease