UT Tyler Receives $200k Subaward

June 5, 2024 | Elizabeth Wingfield

Funds to Help Support Longview’s GLOW Initiative

The University of Texas at Tyler received a $200,000 subaward to assist the city of Longview with a project under their Greater Longview Optimal Wellness initiative. The subaward is part of a four-year grant given to Longview by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The PI of the project is Dr. Huaxin Song, School of Nursing assistant professor, and the co-PI is Dr. Susan McBride, School of Nursing associate dean for research.

The SAMHSA grant will support Narcan and Naloxone distribution and training throughout the Longview area. Narcan, a nasal spray, and Naloxone, an injection administered by EMS, can reverse the life-threatening effects of a known or suspected narcotic overdose.

“This partnership is a powerful example of how we can work together to tackle pressing public health challenges,” said Dr. Barbara K. Haas, UT Tyler School of Nursing dean. “We are honored for the opportunity to use our resources and expertise to support the GLOW initiative and ensure this program will continue to effectively serve the health care needs of the people of Longview.”

The Nursing Science Data Lab is housed within the Institute for Health Innovation, Data Science and Research. Interprofessional teams of researchers from the eight colleges and schools across UT Tyler utilize the facility. Because of the data-mining lab’s capabilities, researchers can gain improved insights into the health of the community.

McBride and Song will record data to evaluate the program’s impact. This data will be vital in securing sustainable funding from insurance companies and the government.

“The GLOW initiative represents a vital step forward in community-based health care,” said Amy Hooten, Longview EMS Section Chief and GLOW coordinator. “With the support of UT Tyler's expertise and their Nursing Science Data Lab, we can reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental health issues in our community.”

The GLOW program is a larger initiative in Longview that aims to help the underserved who rely on 911 and emergency services as their primary health care. Through screening individuals and finding gaps in care, the initiative connects individuals to resources. McBride also leads a project supporting the GLOW program’s research evaluation with a two-year award of $98,000 from the Episcopal Health Foundation.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.