Pregnant and Parenting Students
The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), which prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance. The Department's Title IX regulations prohibit discrimination based on pregnancy and related conditions in institutions that receive Federal funds.
The regulations make clear that Title IX protects students and employees from discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom.
In addition, the University must assist a student with reasonable adjustment to continue their education. (U.S. Department of Education).
There are many ways in which pregnant or parenting students may request support. These options include:
- Completing the Student Parent Form. After receiving the form our office will reach out to the student to discuss available university resources to help them navigate their pregnancy and parenting.
- Review the attached pregnancy and parenting support postcard. This includes information on how the university can support them and it will provide the contact information to our Title IX Office.
- Call 806-743-9861 or email titleixcoordinator@ttuhsc.edu indicating the request for pregnancy or parenting support for the student.
Title IX protects students who are navigating pregnancy, childbirth, and related outcomes. This includes their partners too!
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the University must:
- Excuse absences due to pregnancy or childbirth for as long as your doctor says it is necessary.
- Allow students to return to the same academic and extracurricular status as before medical leave began, which should include giving the opportunity to make up any work missed while the student was out.
- Ensure that faculty and staff understand the Title IX requirements related to excused absences/medical leave. Faculty may not refuse to allow a student to submit work after a missed deadline because of pregnancy or childbirth. If the professor's grading is based in part on class participation or attendance and a student missed class because of pregnancy or childbirth, the student should be allowed to make up the participation or attendance credits they didn't have the chance to earn.
- Provide pregnant students with the same special services it provides to students with temporary medical conditions. This includes homebound instruction/at-home tutoring/independent study, parking accommodation and desk accommodation.
- For parking accommodations for expectant students, please contact TTUHSC El Paso’s Office of Accessibility Services at elp@ttuhsc.edu or 915-215-4398.
Our office supports students during their postpartum recovery. This includes recovery from not only childbirth, but also loss of pregnancy, false pregnancy, and termination of pregnancy. The duration of this absence is determined between the student and their healthcare provider. The student must be allowed to return to their same academic standing and may not be academically penalized. There are many supportive measures for pregnant and parenting students, get in contact with Norma Fuentes at 915-215-4398 learn more on how we can support you!
Nursing Mother Rooms/Lactation Rooms
Texas Tech University HSC El Paso has rooms on campus to create a safe, quiet, and private place to express milk for parents who are choosing to breastfeed or pump. Rooms are available to all students who are nursing/pumping and are enrolled at TTUHSC El Paso.
Locations:
|
Building |
Room |
Notes |
|
Medical Sciences Building I (MSB I) |
4107 |
Managed by the Office of Research. Room is available during business hours (8am – 5pm, M-F). |
|
Medical Sciences Building II (MSB II) |
1B119 |
Managed by the Office of Student Services and Student Engagement. You can request access to the room here. |
|
Clinical Sciences Building (CSB) |
D25BA Suite |
Managed by the Office of Student Services and Student Engagement. You can request access to the room here. |
|
Administrative Support Building II (ASB II) / Oral Health Clinic |
1003 |
Managed by the Oral Health Clinic. Room is available during business hours (8am – 5pm, M-F). |
Student Health Services at TTU Physicians Family Medicine Kenworthy Clinic – 9849 Kenworthy St. El Paso, TX 79924 – 915-215-5500.
Primary care services for TTUHSC El Paso Students. Confidential Services. Insurance and co-pays may apply depending on services rendered.
University Medical Center Emergency Room – 4815 Alameda Ave. El Paso, TX 79905 – 915-544-1200
Emergency health care with a Level I trauma center and forensic examinations within 120 hours of sexual assault.
The Hospitals of Providence Emergency Rooms – Various Locations Throughout El Paso Providing Emergency Medical Services
Providence Children’s Hospital – 2001 N. Oregon St. El Paso, TX 79902 – 915-577-6011
East Campus – 3280 Joe Battle Blvd. El Paso, TX 79938 – 915-832-2000
Memorial Campus – 2001 N. Oregon St. El Paso, TX 79902 – 915-577-6011
Sierra Campus – 1625 Medical Center Dr. El Paso, TX 79902 – 915-747-4000
Transmountain Campus – 2000 Transmountain Rd. El Paso, TX 79911 – 915-877-8136
El Paso Department of Public Health – 5115 El Paso Dr. El Paso, TX 79905 – 915-212-0200
Provides different clinical health support such as vaccines for children and adults. Also, they provide free STI/HIV testing.
Planned Parenthood El Paso Health Center – 1511 E. Missouri Ave. El Paso, TX 79902 – 915-626-5191
Men & Women's Health Care, Pregnancy Testing and Counseling, Birth Control, and STI/HIV Testing.
Guiding Star SouthWest – 1411 Montana Ave. El Paso, TX 79902 – 915-544-9600
Non-profit holistic woman’s healthcare. The clinic provides fertility and child planning, pregnancy and childbirth, breastfeeding and postpartum, and motherhood and wellness care services. They offer medical services, education classes, and free diapers and wipes for participants. If you are navigating an unexpected pregnancy, they offer resources.
Education Service Center - Region 19 Head Start Birth to Four Early Education proudly serves the community by helping improve the quality of life for thousands of low-income children and their families. The program offers a full range of high-quality early education and development services that are designed to increase school readiness and foster the healthy development of young children from birth to age 4.
Texas Workforce Commission Child Care & Early Learning Program
The Child Care Services (CCS) program provides scholarships for child care. Child care scholarships are available to help parents work, search for work, or attend school or job training.
Workforce Solutions Borderplex
Subsidizes childcare for eligible low-income families.
YWCA Academies for Early Learning
The WYCA offers seven daycare locations around El Paso and subsidizes childcare for eligible low-income families.
Provide support for children in grades K-12
Connects Texas parents with up-to-date parenting information, ideas, and resources.
Pregnancy & Fatherhood Solutions
Provides no-cost services, including maternity & infant supplies, medical referrals, parenting education, adoption information, pregnancy testing, and support for fathers.
Founded in 2019, Westside Pregnancy Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit pregnancy center that focuses on helping families in need with free resources, including pregnancy tests, essential baby items, ultrasounds, classes, and more.
Parents as Teachers (PAT) – Funded through United Way of El Paso County, Project Vida partners with AmeriCorps® to provide parents with the information, encouragement and support they need to help their children develop optimally during the early, crucial years of life. The program provides: Personalized home visits, Regular screenings for the child, Community resource networks, and Group connections to other parents.
Provides education, resources, and encouragement.
Talking to Your Children about Consent
A quick video on talking to your child, teen, or college student about consent.
Discussing consent with your student is one of the most important conversations you can have, even if it seems uncomfortable. Watch our webinar, Consent Conversations, with representatives from the TTU Title IX Office, Parent & Family Relations, and the Office of Student Conduct for more information and tips on how to have this crucial conversation.
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services – 915-542-4535
The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) works with communities to promote safe and healthy families and protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. We do this through investigations, services and referrals, and prevention programs.
Center Against Sexual and Family Violence (CASFV) - Domestic Violence Crisis Helpline: 915-593-7300
A shelter for survivors of family violence and sexual assault.
Budgeting for a Baby: Pregnancy, Infancy, & Fertility Treatment - information on how to manage costs each step of the way from conception through your baby's first year.
Red to Black Peer Financial Literacy Program - TTUHSC El Paso’s From Red to Black Financial Literacy Program serves to provide comprehensive financial education for students and residents, and it helps to equip them with a foundation to make informed financial decisions during and after their time at TTUHSC El Paso. Residents, medical, nursing, research and dental students face enormous financial stresses in their journey, and the From Red to Black financial literacy program will contribute to a greater sense of control over their future, with greater short- and long-term well-being.
Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) – WIC provides the support and inspiration to eat right, have a healthy pregnancy, breastfeed successfully, and raise amazing kids. You can fill out your application online or call 311. As a WIC Client, you will get: Healthy food, One-on-one counseling with nutritionists, Recipes & cooking demonstrations, Nutrition classes, Breastfeeding support.
Texas Medicaid – Pregnant women might be able to get free health coverage during their pregnancy through Medicaid for Pregnant Women or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Perinatal program. Medicaid provides health coverage to low-income pregnant women during pregnancy and up to 12 months after postpartum. CHIP Perinatal provides limited coverage during pregnancy and two postpartum visits within 60 days of the end of the pregnancy for women who can't get Medicaid and don't have health insurance. To get Medicaid for Pregnant Women or CHIP Perinatal, you must be a Texas resident. You must be a U.S. citizen or qualified non-citizen to get Medicaid for Pregnant Women. If you have other health insurance, you are not eligible for the CHIP Perinatal program. When you apply, we'll ask about your family's monthly income to see if you can get Medicaid or CHIP Perinatal. Call 211 for more information or apply online.
SNAP Food Benefits – The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps people buy the food they need for good health. People also can buy garden seeds with SNAP benefits. Call 211 for more information or log on to the website to fil out your application online.
HER Pantry - Her Pantry continues the sole mission of bringing attention to the plight of diaper need and period poverty in El Paso, Texas and its surrounding areas. The Period, Diaper, and Formula Assistance Program focus on providing families access to period supplies, children’s diapers, wipes, and infant formula to qualifying families. Households are eligible for supplies once a month. They are open on the third Tuesday of every month from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Events take place at Holy Ghost Tabernacle, 4727 Hondo Pass, El Paso, TX 79904.
Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid – Provides free legal services to low-income people facing most forms of civil legal problems. They can be reached at (833) 329-8752. Their attorneys are organized into teams specializing in various legal areas of expertise.
City of El Paso Housing Programs – (915) 212-0139; Hours of Operation M-F 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The City of El Paso's Housing Programs Division provides assistance by providing safe, decent, and affordable housing for low and moderate-income families.
The Division also provides information on fair housing and affordable housing options for renters and first-time home buyers. They also provide opportunities for investors and non-profit organizations to develop affordable rental housing. Qualifying homeowners also have the opportunity to rehab their home and bring it up to City Code Standards.
El Paso County Housing Authority
To provide and develop affordable housing for low-income families while promoting self-sufficiency and neighborhood revitalization. The EPCHA was established in 1978 to address poverty level by providing safe, decent and affordable housing to all county residents residing in Tornillo, Fabens, Clint, San Elizario, Socorro, Horizon, Vinton, Canutillo and all other communities outside the City of El Paso, Texas.
Housing Authority of the City of El Paso
Housing Opportunity Management Enterprises (HOME) was created on February 17, 1938, by statute to provide low-income residents of the City of El Paso with access to low-cost housing. We develop, acquire, lease, and operate affordable housing for the residents of El Paso with limited income. The need for housing in El Paso continues to increase throughout the years.
ADTRC is a useful tool to identify appropriate housing for residents, especially those with special needs, persons-at-risk and persons with intellectual disabilities. Our program is aimed at finding housing options that are affordable, accessible and supportive of a person’s health and welfare needs.
Project Vida values the access to affordable and decent housing. In the Affordable housing program, the housing departments owns or manages many apartment complexes, duplexes and single-family homes of 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms for qualifying low- and moderate-income families in the greater El Paso area. All Project Vida properties are clean, safe, well maintained; have easy access to public transportation, schools and other services; and enhance the neighborhoods where they are located.
Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA)
The Section 811 Project Rental Assistance (PRA) program provides project-based rental assistance for extremely low-income persons with disabilities linked with long term services. The program is made possible through a partnership between TDHCA, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and eligible multifamily properties. The Section 811 PRA program creates the opportunity for persons with disabilities to live as independently as possible through the coordination of voluntary services and providing a choice of subsidized, integrated rental housing options.
Grief Support El Paso - Creating a community that provides hope, support, and education to anyone wishing to understand the complicated experience of life after loss.
Postpartum Support International - Experiencing the loss of a pregnancy, infant, or child brings unimaginable pain, grief, and isolation and is associated with an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Non-judgmental support, information, and connection with others is available to you.
TTUHSC El Paso Student Counseling Services - TTUHSC El Paso counseling services are available through students’ payment of the Student Services Fee and Student Medical Fee. These resources are provided to enhance wellness by providing you the opportunity to manage life’s problems before they become serious and impair your academic and professional performance.
As faculty and staff, we want to be empathetic and supportive to our students who are navigating pregnancy and parenting. Understand that the needs for each individual student during their pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum recovery are very different. Some pregnancies can be high risk, whereas others are not; some students may experience morning sickness, whereas others do not; some may have many doctors' appointments whereas others do not. We want to support our students and be understanding to their changing needs, supporting students with the understanding that every pregnancy is different.
It is the student's decision to disclose to you if they are pregnant. If a student discloses to you that are pregnant, please encourage them to complete the pregnancy support form. This allows our office to inform the students of those supportive measures that are available to them. Please be aware that all information is kept private and that our office will not disclose any information about a student's pregnancy or related medical conditions.
During a semester, our office may send you faculty notifications of excused absences or requests for extensions on coursework on behalf of the student who is pregnant and parenting. Understand that we have verified this with the student and that our office documentation is sufficient for excusing absences and requesting opportunities to make up any missed work. We ask that you work with the student to accommodate their needs so that they suffer no academic penalty because of their pregnancy or parenting.
If you have questions about faculty notifications or would like to request a Title IX Training Workshop on Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Students, please email titleixcoordinator@ttuhsc.edu.
- For TTUHSC El Paso Human Resources questions regarding parenting and pregnancy, FMLA or parental leave please contact ELPHRbenefitsadmin@ttuhsc.edu
- TTUHSC El Paso Benefits Information, including FMLA
- Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
- FLSA Protections to Pump at Work