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Establishment of the Institute:

In 2001, in response to citizen concerns about the potential impact of environmental pollutants on their health, the Texas Legislature passed legislation establishing the Texas Environmental Health Institute (TEHI or Institute) as a joint venture between the Texas Department of Health, predecessor agency to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), and the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission, predecessor agency to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the State environmental agency. Section 19.01, Title 5, Subtitle G, Chapter 427, of the Texas Health and Safety Code, directs the TCEQ to enter into an agreement with the DSHS, to jointly establish the Texas Environmental Health Institute to examine ways to identify, treat, manage, prevent, and reduce health problems associated with environmental contamination.

On December 6, 2001, an Interagency Memorandum Of Agreement (MOA) was entered into by and between the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission (predecessor of the TCEQ) and the Texas Department of Health (predecessor of the DSHS), pursuant to the authority granted and in compliance with the provisions of the Interagency Cooperation Act, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE Chapter 771. The purpose of the Agreement was to establish the Institute and to describe the tasks to be performed and the duties and responsibilities of each of the agencies in enabling the Institute to accomplish its purposes. The Institute was established within the Environmental Epidemiology Division (currently the Environmental & Injury Epidemiology and Toxicology Branch) within DSHS.

Vision and Mission Statement

Institute Vision Statement

Institute Mission Statement

Important Links

Texas Legislation Establishing the Texas Environmental Health Institute "pdf"
Progress Report and Future Direction of Institute (2013) "pdf"
Progress Report and Future Direction of Institute (2007) "pdf"

Submitting Projects to TEHI

TEHI funds environmental research projects designed to examine ways to identify, treat, manage, prevent, and reduce health problems associated with environmental contamination.  If you are interested in being contacted about future TEHI funding opportunities, please send your contact information and your area of specialization to TEHI as the subject line.

TEHI encourages researchers to submit their research ideas to TEHI for funding consideration. Research goals must be consistent with the stated purposes of TEHI, and researchers must be employed by a college or university in Texas.

At least one of the following criteria must be met to be considered for funding:

1. Projects must be designed to identify health conditions, related or potentially related to environmental contamination, of Texas residents who live or have lived within the immediately surrounding area of a federal superfund site or state superfund site. Example projects include geocoding of environmental and disease data, research on priority health conditions, and the development and use of biological markers of exposure.

2. Projects must be designed to protect and promote the health and safety of residents in immediately surrounding areas by assessing exposure and/or preventing or reducing their health risks from exposure to chemical and biological contaminants, radioactive materials, and other hazards in the environment and the workplace. Example projects include assessing potential risks to the citizens living near Superfund and other hazardous waste sites and improving public access to information about potential environmental health risks.