Guillot-Wright awarded $400,000 by THECB to expand successful Docside Clinics
Shannon Guillot-Wright, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences and Director of the Total Worker Health® Program at the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (SWCOEH), was recently awarded $400,000 by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). This funding will support an expansion of the innovative and impactful Docside Clinic: Connecting Docs to Docks initiative by improving access to clinical and social services for underserved commercial fishermen and waterfront workers in Port Arthur, Texas.
The Docside Clinic is a biopsychosocial mobile clinic held once-a-month at docks along the Gulf Coast and provides services requested by commercial fishermen and waterfront workers. Services include diabetes and blood pressure screenings, vaccinations, dental exams, antibiotics, flu kits, first aid kits and manuals, food, and personal hygiene products. Guillot-Wright's team has also offered occupational therapy, HIV/STD testing, and opioid antagonists.
The Docside Clinic has had over 1,500 patient encounters since its launch in July 2021 and has demonstrated successful continuity of care, coordination of services, and an increase in patient’s medical adherence. Expanding these services to Port Arthur has the potential to improve the health of a severely underserved population who operate in one of the most dangerous industries in the world. By establishing mobile clinics at the docks where people work and live, we can lower barriers to care for this population and address their unmet clinical and social service needs.
“We are thrilled that THECB recognized the importance of serving worker populations, many who put food on our Gulf Coast tables,” said Dr. Guillot-Wright. “This funding will not only expand primary care services to a contingent worker population who lack healthcare and sick leave benefits, but it will expand our educational opportunities through dedicated community-based research and practice mentorship.”
The THECB funding will also support educational opportunities for graduate students at the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. Beginning in the fall semester, doctoral students can take part in a field experience or independent study to develop, conduct, and complete a research project related to work being done at the Docside Clinic in Port Arthur. Students will receive mentored training in community-based participatory research methods with a focus on at-risk and underserved worker populations, preparing them for impactful careers as independent researchers.
Similarly, master’s students will be eligible to participate in a practicum experience at the Docside Clinic. Students will assist with the operation of monthly clinics in Port Arthur, receiving mentored training in community-based public health practice and health promotion strategies. This opportunity will allow students to apply public health principles in real-world settings while making a difference in coastal communities.
“This funding provides support for unique and innovative training opportunities for students and residents to learn firsthand about the real world challenges this important worker population face,” said Dr. Felknor, Director of the SWCOEH. “Students learn how to tailor traditional public health and medical interventions to meet the burden and the need for a safe, healthy, and resilient workforce”.
Additionally, resident physicians in the Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM) program within the SWCOEH will provide primary care and referral services to patients at the Docside Clinic in Port Arthur as part of their experiential rotations.
Students interested in these educational opportunities—practicum, field experience, or independent study—are encouraged to contact Dr. Shannon Guillot-Wright at Shannon.P.GuillotWright@uth.tmc.edu.