HEALTHY BORDER 2010/2020 

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

United States-México Border Health Commission

REPORT
The mission of the United States-México Border Health 

Commission (BHC) is to provide international leadership to optimize health and quality of life along the United States-México border.

Providing Leadership on Border Health Issues to—

Facilitate Identification, Study, and Research

Be a Catalyst to Raise Awareness

Promote Sustainable Partnerships for Action

Serve as an Information Portal

Revised: May 2011

Published: November 2010
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Preface

In recognition of the need for an international commission to address border health challenges as well as identify 

opportunities for addressing these issues, the U.S.-México Border Health Commission (BHC) was established in July 

of 2000 with the signing of an agreement by the Secretary of Health of the United States and the Secretary of Health of 

México. 

The BHC’s primary goals are to establish a domestic focus on border health that transcends political changes and to 

provide a venue for binational dialogue and discussion. 

The Commission’s strategic roles include facilitating the identification, study, and research of common health 

concerns; serving as a catalyst to raise visibility to border health issues and awareness; identifying and promoting 

sustainable partnerships; and serving as an information clearinghouse. 

Purpose

The primary goal of this strategic framework is to support the BHC’s mission to provide international leadership to 

optimize health and quality of life along the U.S.-México border. Specifically, this strategic framework describes the 

plan and timeline in completing steps toward the closeout of Healthy Border (HB) 2010 and the rollout of the proposed 

Healthy Border (HB) 2020.

Background 

The HB 2010 initiative was established as the BHC’s binational agenda for health promotion and disease prevention 

during the Commission’s binational meeting in March of 2001. The publication of Healthy Border 2010: An Agenda 

for Improving Health on the United States-Mexico Border in 2003 was an initial step toward the development of a 

bilateral strategic plan focused on health promotion and disease prevention. 

HB 2010 was based on the framework of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Healthy People 

2010 and incorporated the United States’ Healthy Gente initiative (as referred to by the U.S. states, which includes 25 

objectives) and México’s Indicadores de Resultado (National Health Indicators). 

HB 2010 incorporated input from a broad cross-section of people from the U.S.–México border. For the first time in 

the border region, a set of leading health indicators was available to help individuals, organizations, and communities 

prioritize health issues and design community health programs. These health indicators were also intended to assist 

communities in tracking the success and progress of their actions. 

The publication of the initial rollout report in 2003 marked an important milestone in the implementation of HB 2010. 

The report represented a binational effort to determine baseline data for priority health objectives and to establish year 

2010 targets for each of the binational border regions. The HB 2010 objectives brought a new focus to health 

improvement activities on both sides of the border. 

The two over-arching goals of the HB initiative are 1) to improve the quality of life and increase the number of years 

of healthy life and 2) to eliminate health disparities.
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Healthy Border 2010 is composed of 21 health objectives (20 in México) grouped into 11 focus areas as follows:

Focus Area United States México

Access to Health Care (1) Reduce by 25% the population 

lacking access to a primary care provider 

in an underserved area.

(1) Maintain at fewer than 5% of the 

population lacking access to basic health 

services.

Cancer

(2) Reduce female breast cancer death 

rate by 20%. 

(2) Reduce female breast cancer death rate by 

20%.

(3) Reduce cervical cancer death rate by 

30%. 

(3) Reduce cervical cancer death rate by 20%.

Diabetes

(4) Reduce deaths due to diabetes by 

10%.

(4) Reduce deaths due to diabetes by 10%.

(5) Reduce hospitalizations for diabetes 

by 25%. 

(5) Keep hospitalization rate stable.

Environmental Health

(6) Reduce to zero the proportion of 

households without complete bathroom 

facilities.

(6) Reduce the proportion of households not 

connected to compliant public sewage systems 

or septic tanks.

(7) Reduce the number of hospital 

admissions for acute pesticide poisoning 

by 25%. 

(7) Maintain hospital admission rate for acute 

pesticide poisoning.

HIV/AIDS (8) Reduce the HIV+ incidence rate by 

50%. 

(8) Keep HIV+ incidence rate stable at current 

3.1 per 100,000.

Immunization & 

Infectious Diseases

(9) Raise immunization coverage rate for 

children 19-35 months to 90%.

(9) Maintain current immunization coverage 

of 95% for children age less than 1 year and 1-

4.

(10) Reduce the incidence rate of 

Hepatitis A by 50%. (10) Reduce incidence of all forms of hepatitis 

by 50%. (11) Reduce the incidence rate of 

Hepatitis B by 50%.

(12) Reduce incidence rate for 

tuberculosis by 50%.

(11) Reduce incidence rate for tuberculosis by 

10%.

Injury Prevention

(13) Reduce motor vehicle crash death 

rate by 25%.

(12) Reduce motor vehicle crash death rate by 

20%.

(14) Reduce childhood death rate due to 

unintentional injuries by 30%. 

(13) Reduce childhood death rate due to 

unintentional injuries by 50%.

Maternal, Infant & 

Child Health

(15) Reduce infant mortality by 15%. (14) Reduce infant mortality rate by 50%.

(16) Reduce infant mortality from 

congenital abnormalities by 30%.

(15) Reduce infant deaths from congenital 

abnormalities by 50%.

(17) Increase proportion of mothers 

getting prenatal care in first trimester to 

85%.

(16) Increase percent of mothers getting 

prenatal care in first and second trimesters to 

70%.

(18) Reduce pregnancy rate in 

adolescents (15-17 years old) by 33%. 

(17) Reduce pregnancy rate in adolescence 

10-19 years old by 20%.

Mental Health (19) Reduce suicide mortality rate by 

15%. 

(18) Reduce suicide mortality rate by 25%.

Oral Health

(20) Increase proportion of population 

using oral health services to 75% per 

year.

(19) Ensure that 25% of the population uses 

oral health services annually.

Respiratory Diseases (21) Reduce asthma hospitalization rate 

by 40%. 

(20) Maintain asthma hospitalization rate. 
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HB 2010/2020 Strategic Framework

This Healthy Border 2010/2020 Strategic Framework is presented as a five-phase effort:

Phase I – 2009-2010 Conduct Initial Planning and Publish Reports

Phase II – 2010-2011 Establish the Technical Work Group and Update the Healthy Border 2010/2020 Strategic 

Framework

Phase III – 2011-2012 Draft Initial Joint Healthy Border 2010 Closeout Report and Update Healthy Border 

2020 Rollout Plan

Phase IV – 2012-2013 Complete Healthy Border 2010/2020 Reports

Phase V – 2013-2014 Publish Healthy Border 2010/2020 Reports and Launch Healthy Border 2020 Initiative

Phase I: 2009-2010 – Conduct Initial Planning and Publish Reports

A U.S. component midterm report, Healthy Border 2010 Midterm Review U.S. Border Area, was initially drafted and 

presented in December 2006 and thereafter presented as an updated report during the BHC’s Annual Meeting in March 

2008. The final U.S. component midterm report was published in July 2009.

México’s component midterm report, Frontera Saludable 2010 - Reporte de Medio Plazo - Frontera Norte de México, 

was published in July 2010. 

Phase I requires the drafting of an initial U.S.-México Strategic Framework that outlines the timeline for completion of 

the closeout of HB 2010 and the rollout of HB 2020. 

Phase Completion

Date

Action

Phase I July 2009 Publish the U.S. HB 2010 Midterm Report.

March 2010 Establish and convene the U.S.-México HB Core Work Group.

July 2010 Publish the México HB 2010 Midterm Report.

July 2010 Present final draft of the HB 2010/2020 Strategic Framework to the Border Health 

Research Work Group and Expert Panel.

August 2010 Finalize the HB 2010/2020 Strategic Framework.

Target: Conduct Initial Planning and Publish Reports

• Publish the U.S. HB 2010 Midterm Report.

• Establish the U.S.-México HB Core Work Group.

• Publish the México HB 2010 Midterm Report.

• Present final draft of the HB 2010/2020 Strategic Framework to the Border 

Health Research Work Group and Expert Panel.

• Finalize the 2010/2020 Strategic Framework.

Phase II: 2010-2011 – Establish the Technical Work Group and Update the HB 2010/2020 Strategic 

 Framework 

Phase II includes updating the HB 2010/2020 Strategic Framework and establishing the Border Binational Technical 

Work Group. This phase also involves conducting an analysis of the published midterm reports for HB 2010, the 

development of a plan for completing the final joint report for HB 2010, and the initial plan for implementing HB 

2020. 
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Phase Completion

Date

Action

Phase II TBD 2010 Present the HB 2010/2020 Strategic Framework to México’s Undersecretary of Health.

December 2010 Establish and convene the Border Binational Technical Work Group.

January 2011 Present the HB 2010/2020 Strategic Framework to the HHS Border Health 

Roundtable.

March 2011 Convene the Border Binational Technical Work Group.

May 2011

Convene the Border Binational Technical Work Group.

Update the HB 2010/2020 Strategic Framework.

June 2011

Present the draft strategic plan for the closeout of HB 2010 to the Border Health 

Research Work Group and Expert Panel.

Present the draft strategic plan for the rollout of HB 2020 to the Border Health 

Research Work Group and Expert Panel.

Target: Establish the Technical Work Group and Update HB 2010/2020

Strategic Framework

• Present the HB 2010/2020 Strategic Framework to México’s Undersecretary 

of Health and HHS Border Health Roundtable.

• Establish the Border Binational Technical Work Group.

• Draft the initial strategic plan for the closeout of HB 2010. 

• Draft the initial strategic plan for the rollout of HB 2020.

Phase III: 2011-2012 – Draft Initial Joint Healthy Border 2010 Closeout Report and Update 

 Healthy Border 2020 Rollout Plan

Phase III includes completion of the initial draft of a joint U.S.-México HB 2010 Closeout Report and the next draft of 

the HB 2020 Rollout Plan. The rollout of HB 2020 will detail the elements of planning, coordination, community, and 

stakeholder input (including plans for community meetings) with overall guidance from the Border Binational 

Technical Work Group.

Phase Completion

Date

Action

Phase III December 2011 Draft the initial joint HB 2010 Closeout Report.

March 2012

Convene the Border Binational Technical Work Group and finalize the HB 2020 

Rollout Plan. 

Begin the public/stakeholder input process.

May 2012 Convene the Border Binational Technical Work Group.

June 2012 Present the HB 2020 Rollout Plan and the initial HB 2010 Report to the Border 

Health Research Work Group and Expert Panel. 

Target: Draft Initial Joint Healthy Border 2010 Closeout Report and 

Update Healthy Border 2020 Rollout Plan

• Draft the initial joint HB 2010 Closeout Report.

• Finalize the HB 2020 Rollout Plan.

• Convene the Border Binational Technical Work Group.

• Present the HB 2020 Rollout Plan and the initial joint HB 2010 Closeout

Report.

• Report to the Border Health Research Work Group and Expert Panel.
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Phase IV: 2012-2013 – Complete Healthy Border 2010/2020 Reports 

Phase IV involves completion of the HB 2010 Report and the HB 2020 Report. 

Phase Completion

Date

Action

Phase IV September 2012 Present the HB Rollout Plan to the Border Governors Conference.

March 2013 Draft the initial HB 2020 Report.

June 2013 Present the next draft of the HB 2020 Report and the HB 2020 Rollout Plan to 

the Border Health Research Work Group and Expert Panel.

July 2013 Complete the next draft of the joint HB 2010 Closeout Report.

Target: Complete Healthy Border 2010/2020 Reports

• Present the HB 2020 Rollout Plan to the Border Governors 

Conference.

• Complete the next draft of the HB 2020 Report.

• Complete the next draft of the joint HB 2010 Closeout Report.

Phase V: 2013-2014 – Publish Healthy Border 2010/2020 Reports and Launch Healthy 

 Border 2020 Initiative

Phase V includes the dissemination and promotion of the HB 2020 Initiative and completion of the HB 2010 and 2020

Reports.

Phase Completion

Date

Action

Phase V

October 2013

Publish the HB 2020 Report.

Launch the HB 2020 Initiative.

December 2013 Convene the Border Binational Technical Work Group.

February 2014 Publish the HB 2010 Report.

March 2014 Convene the Border Binational Technical Work Group.

June 2014 Provide update on HB 2020 to the Border Health Research Work Group and 

Expert Panel.

Target: Publish Healthy Border 2010/2020 Reports and 

 Launch Healthy Border 2020 Initiative

o Publish the HB 2020 Report.

o Launch the HB 2020 Initiative.

o Publish the HB 2010 Report.

o Disseminate and promote the HB 2020 Initiative.
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HB 2010/2020 Strategic Framework Timeline

Phases 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Phase I: Conduct Initial Planning and 

Publish Reports

Phase II: Establish the Technical 

Work Group and Update the HB 

2010/2020 Strategic Framework

Phase III: Draft Initial Joint Healthy 

Border 2010 Closeout Report and 

Update Healthy Border 2020 Rollout 

Plan

Phase IV: Complete Healthy Border 

2010/2020 Reports

Phase V: Publish Healthy Border 

2010/2020 Reports and Launch 

Healthy Border 2020 Initiative
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For additional information please visit our website at www.borderhealth.org.

 

United States–México

Border Health Commission

211 N. Florence, Suite 101

El Paso, TX 79901

Tel: (915) 532-1006

Fax: (915) 532-1697

Toll Free (866) 785-9867

www.borderhealth.org

Comisión de Salud Fronteriza

México-Estados Unidos

Avenida Durango No. 247 

4o piso

Col. Roma Norte, Delegación Cuauhtémoc

C.P. 06700 México, D.F.

Tel./Fax (01152-55) 3611-0765

www.saludfronteriza.org.mx