Skip to main content

State Preventive Health Advisory Committee

The State Preventive Health Advisory Committee (SPHAC) advises the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to carry out the tasks outlined in 42 USC §300w-4(d) regarding the formulation of an annual state plan for the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant (PHHSBG), administered by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and make recommendations to DSHS regarding the development and implementation of a state plan, including recommendations on:

  • The conduct of assessments of public health;
  • The activities authorized in 42 USC §300w-3 that should be carried out in the state;
  • The allocation of payments made to the state under 42 USC §300w-2;
  • The coordination of activities carried out under the state plan with relevant programs of other entities; and
  • The collection and reporting of data per 42 USC §300w-5(a).

The State Preventive Health Advisory Committee is governed by Texas Government Code Chapter 2110 (State Agency Advisory Committees) and Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 25, Part 1, § 84.

Next Public Hearing

Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Time: 9:30 a.m. 
Location: Texas Health and Human Services Commission, John H. Winters Building, Public Hearing Room 125, First Floor, 701 West 51st Street, Austin, TX, 78751

Upcoming Meetings

Per statute, the State Preventive Health Advisory Committee must meet twice a year.

The purpose and focus of these meetings are to allow the advisory committee to either:

(1) Plan or discuss the development of the proposed Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant work plan (Healthy People 2030 objectives and activities) that will be submitted, or

(2) Review a draft of the proposed objectives and activities of the work plan.

For the final meeting, the advisory committee is presented with the final work plan that will be submitted to CDC, which includes the appropriate allocation amounts and is provided the opportunity to offer any final recommendations. 

Next Public Meeting

Meeting Date Agenda Presentations
April 29, 2025 Not yet available  


Future meeting dates and related information are subject to change.

Past Meetings and Materials

Archived videos of meeting webcasts are available for viewing for approximately two years from the date the meeting was posted on the website and based on the DSHS records retention schedule.

All recorded webcasts

Date Agenda Minutes Webcast Recording
 June 12, 2024 Agenda Not yet available Webcast Recording
 April 24, 2024 Agenda Not yet available Webcast Recording
 June 13, 2023 Agenda Approved Minutes Webcast Recording
 April 25, 2023 Agenda Approved Minutes Webcast Recording
 June 13, 2022 Agenda Approved Minutes Webcast Recording
 May 13, 2022 Agenda Approved Minutes Webcast Recording

Committee Roster

The State Preventive Health Advisory Committee has eight members.

These members include representatives from businesses, colleges or universities, local health departments, hospitals or health systems, schools of public health, senior or adult service organizations, state health departments, and state or local governments.

Members provide adequate representation of the general public and health departments. 

Name City Membership Category Term Expiration Organization
Jennifer Shuford, MD Austin State Health Officer, Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner N/A Texas Department of State Health Services
Laura Bianco Austin Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant Coordinator N/A Texas Department of State Health Services
John Herbold, DVM San Antonio Texas School of Public Health Representative 12/31/2020 University of Texas at San Antonio
Carlos Plasencia, MD Houston Regional Medical Director Representative 12/31/2022 Texas Department of State Health Services
Faith Foreman-Hays Houston Local Health Department Representative 12/31/2024 Houston Health Department
Kim Kelly, DNP, MSN, BSN, RN Houston Consumer, General Public 12/31/2024 The Vocational Nursing, Institute Inc.
Sheila Davis Wichita Falls Consumer, General Public 12/31/2024 Always Best Care Senior Services LLP
Felicia Shaw, CHCE, COS-Cs Frisco Consumer, General Public 12/31/2020 Parallon, HCA

View the committee membership roster (PDF).

Committee Contact

Mailing Address

Texas Department of State Health Services
Division for Regional and Local Health Operations
1100 West 49th Street
Austin, TX 78756
Estados Unidos

Contact person
Laura Bianco