Rachael Branum Hendrickson

Key discussion topics for the meeting include the consideration of the January 21, 2026, draft meeting minutes, an overview of the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee (TNAC) and its timelines, and reports from Workgroups concerning the definition of ultra-processed food, refinement of research questions for systematic reviews, identification of external collaborators, and the outline for evidence review. The agenda also includes an overview of the Texas A&M Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Evidence Center, committee discussions on early recommendations for domain areas and report frameworks, and public comment.

The meeting addressed key operational and programmatic updates. Discussions included a presentation and overview of the Texas Tobacco Quitline, covering services such as quit coaching and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for adults, and the specialized My Life, My Quit Program for youth. A presentation on the Hello Heart program for HealthSelect of Texas participants detailed its digital hub approach to improving heart health, showing clinical outcomes related to blood pressure, LDL, and weight reduction. The Council voted to re-adopt the Proposal Rule Packet (PRP) for amendments to the Texas Administrative Code concerning council meeting conduct, incorporating minor changes suggested by the Governor's office. Agency reports featured updates from the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) regarding the Heart Disease & Stroke Program, including progress on CDC grants for hypertension and stroke initiatives, and the status of the Texas CVD Learning Collaborative. The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) provided an update on the Aging Texas Well Strategic Plan and recognized National Family Caregiver Month. Liaison reports covered efforts by the American Heart/American Stroke Association and updates from the Governor's EMS and Trauma Advisory Council (GETAC) committees on cardiac care and stroke acute care standardization.

The meeting began with a call to order and roll call confirming a quorum. Key discussions included the consideration of the August 8, 2025, draft meeting minutes, which were subsequently approved. The committee reviewed 64 recommendations organized across nine categories (including Motor Vehicle Safety, Safe Sleep, Drowning Prevention, and Suicide Prevention) for the 2026 biennial legislative report, ultimately selecting nine recommendations across six categories for inclusion. Public comments were heard regarding drowning prevention, the SWIM Act, and life vest programs. The election of the Vice-Chair and consideration of the Child Fatality Review Team Operations Protocol were tabled. The meeting concluded with general public comment and adjournment.

The meeting, designated as the FY26 -- 1st Quarter meeting, covered updates across multiple areas and committee action items. Key discussions included the Pre-Hospital Whole Blood (PHWB) Funding Allotment distribution across TSA Regional Advisory Councils. Updates were provided on EMS Trauma Systems, including changes to Trauma Designation Rules (§157.126) concerning telemedicine use in low-population counties, transfer review processes, and Trauma PIPS processes. The Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Registries (EMSTR) provided updates on NEMSIS, including the successful implementation of critical patch 6 ahead of schedule, and overall data collection progress. Committee updates covered activities from Air Medical and Specialty Care Transport, Cardiac Care (focusing on timely transfers and CPR instruction evaluation), Disaster Preparedness (including Pulsara rollout), EMS (focusing on rule revisions and workplace violence surveys), Pediatric Care (seeking approval for educational toolkits), Injury Prevention (focusing on injury mechanism translation and public education), and Stroke Care (reviewing performance metrics and best practice recommendations). Several action items were presented to the Council for approval.

The key discussion topics for this meeting include an introduction by Dr. Frierson-Stroud, a DSHS Medical Advisory Board (MAB) Program Update covering staff updates, monthly reporting, physician case numbers, and procedures, and an update from the Department of Public Safety. A presentation by Dr. Carman on driving with bioptic telescopes is scheduled. The agenda also features discussion and voting regarding open positions for the MAB Executive Committee, updates on MAB Guideline Revisions approved by the Executive Committee, and detailed workgroup discussions concerning the MAB Guide for Determining Driver Limitation, including updates on completed and in-progress sections, and statistics on accidents.