Solutions in Action Workshop (SAW)

Program Manager: Erica Cantu, MPH – UTHealth School of Public Health - Erica.Cantu@uth.tmc.edu – 832-904-0082

In a Solutions in Action (SA) Workshop, a community organization engages in a problem-solving dialogue about a health-related topic (for example, diabetes, nutrition, substance use, etc.) with a Resource Coach (subject matter expert). The Workshop produces a solution action plan centered on evidence-based interventions that can be implemented by the community organization within the next 1-2 years to address the community organization’s health concern.

Resource Coaches are subject matter experts who listen to the current needs and previous efforts of community organizations and engage in conversation with the community organizations about how to address important health-related concerns identified by the community organizations participating in the workshop. After hearing from community organizations about their needs, Resource Coaches introduce evidence-based interventions that can help address the identified needs. Community organizations serve as the community experts and Resource Coaches as the subject matter experts. The collaboration between Resource Coaches and community organizations is central to obtaining an accurate understanding of the health needs in the community and which evidence-based interventions are best for the communities they serve.

We offer SA Workshops free of charge to community organizations in Houston, Northeast Texas, and the Rio Grande Valley. The SA Workshops are led by the community organizations and are designed to be flexible and hands on. This allows the community organizations to identify and present the health-related issues to be addressed during the SA Workshops. Our team provides support throughout the planning process to assist the community organizations in preparation for their workshops. An SA Workshop typically lasts 3 to 4 hours.

If you would like more information about how to support our communities as a Resource Coach or are part of a community organization who is interested in having a workshop and would like to recommend or request a specific Resource Coach, please contact us at saw@uth.tmc.edu.

If you are a community organization and would like to receive more information or are interested in holding one of our SA Workshops, please fill out the Solutions in Actions Workshop: Improving Health (SAW) Interest Form (uth.edu) or contact us at saw@uth.tmc.edu or 832-271-1702.