Harris Health Hosts Pathways to Health Summit
On April 1, 2026, the Harris Health Sheila Jackson Lee Center for Accelerating Health Outcomes (CARE) hosted its second annual Pathways to Health Summit, which brought together over 200 community leaders, healthcare professionals, and community health advocates to address heart disease and promote healthier neighborhoods.
Harris Health’s CEO Esmaeil Porsa, MD, presented The Metropolitan Organization – Houston with the Garnet F. Coleman Health Equity Award to recognize the many ways the organization has championed health access for underserved patient communities.
The all-day summit assembled experts, organizations, and community leaders for a session of networking and discussion on the topic of heart health. The agenda included updates on several initiatives undertaken by CARE and key community partners, including:
- A keynote address by Dr. Ruth Lopez Turley, Director of the Kinder Institute of Urban Research at Rice University, who spoke on the “Socioeconomic Pathways to Health,” focusing on the intersection between food insecurity and economic mobility in Houston
- A fireside chat led by Dr. Shreela Sharma, Vice-Chair of Epidemiology and Director of the Center for Healthy Communities at UT Health Houston School of Public Health and Co-Founder of Brighter Bites, on “Healing Community Through Food Policy"
- A panel presentation on how walkability and neighborhood conditions affect heart disease led by Lharissa Jacobs, Executive Director of Fit Houston, including a short outdoor walk for National Walking Day
About The Garnet F. Coleman Health Equity Award: The award is named in honor of former Texas State Rep. Garnet F. Coleman who served in the legislature for 30 years representing the Houston area. The award acknowledges his work to advance health equity and expansion of healthcare. One of his signature legislative accomplishments was helping create the Children’s Health Insurance Program—CHIP—to expand affordable healthcare coverage for hundreds of thousands of children in Texas. The award recognizes individuals and organizations that champion health equity and take action to make it a reality.
To view the presentation documents from the summit,
click here.
Harris Health Launches Inaugural Health Equity in Action Summit
On Feb. 19, 2025, Harris Health officially launched the Sheila Jackson Lee Center for Accelerating Health Outcomes (CARE) through its first-ever Health Equity in Action Summit, bringing together over 120 community leaders, healthcare professionals, and advocates.
The event celebrated the legacy of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a tireless champion for healthcare access and equity. Erica Lee Carter, daughter of the late congresswoman, delivered a powerful call to action, emphasizing the critical mission of ensuring healthcare access for all individuals, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status.
Participants engaged in dynamic discussions that highlighted innovative approaches to improving health outcomes in our community. Key areas of focus included creating clear involvement pathways for diverse stakeholders, expanding successful community health programs like the Food Farmacy and HealthyConnect, and building genuine trust between healthcare providers and the communities they serve.
The summit marked a milestone in Harris Health's commitment to community-driven healthcare solutions. Attendees expressed enthusiasm for data-driven approaches that combine scientific insights with real community experiences, setting the stage for more inclusive and effective health initiatives.
Harris Health's Commitment to Community Engagement Continues
On Dec. 16, 2024, Harris Health hosted its second community listening session that brought together diverse voices committed to advancing health outcomes and meaningful community partnership.
Participants engaged in rich discussions, sharing profound insights into what truly matters when building strong, responsive healthcare relationships. The session highlighted the community's desire for authentic, collaborative approaches to healthcare.
The session explored critical topics including the essence of meaningful community engagement, effective communication strategies and innovative ways to involve community members in health equity initiatives. Participants emphasized the importance of bidirectional communication, reaching underserved populations and building trust through transparent, respectful interactions.
Key themes emerged around amplifying diverse voices, creating accessible communication channels, and developing community-driven health initiatives that empower and educate. The feedback gathered will be instrumental in shaping Harris Health's future strategies for community involvement and approaches to accelerating health outcomes improvement.
On Aug. 2, 2024, Harris Health Sheila Jackson Lee Center for Accelerating Health Outcomes (CARE) brought together passionate voices committed to advancing health equity during a community listening session.
Participants shared impactful stories, valuable insights and explored collaborative ways to ensure everyone in the community has the opportunity to thrive.
The event reaffirmed Harris Health’s commitment to shaping the future of the center in a way that truly meets the needs of the community.
“Over the course of three hours, we heard powerful stories, reaffirmed our shared commitment to our neighbors and communities and deliberated on meaningful ways to accelerate health equity and ensure everyone has the opportunity to flourish,” says Chethan Bachireddy, MD, MSc, FACP, FASAM, AAHIVS, chief health officer, Harris Health, and executive director, CARE.
Feedback gathered during this session will guide the center’s actions across key areas such as community collaboration, workforce development, exceptional healthcare, equity innovation and community investment.