Rural Texas Strong Gets $281 Million in Federal Funding for Its Second Year, Abbott and HHSC Announce

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission will receive $281 million in federal funding for the second year of Rural Texas Strong, a five-year initiative to improve rural health care throughout the state, the agency said in a news release.

“This $281 million will deliver critical resources for patients and facilities in rural Texas,” Abbott said in the release. “Providers will recruit and retain personnel, upgrade equipment and facilities, and expand preventative care so rural Texans receive the healthcare they need close to home.” HHS Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth said in the same release that the program “laid a strong foundation for improving access to care in rural communities” in its first year and that the agency looks forward to building on that momentum in year two.

Rural Texas Strong is the state's CMS-approved plan under the federal rural health program and is 100 percent federally funded, the release said. It runs through six initiatives, and HHSC will use a competitive process to allocate the year-two money: reducing chronic disease through prevention, wellness and nutrition services; investing in consumer-facing technology to engage patients; deploying artificial intelligence and telehealth to bridge service gaps; recruiting and retaining rural health workers through career development, scholarships, relocation payments and training; improving cybersecurity defenses for patient data; and upgrading equipment in rural hospitals and clinics.

Eligible providers may apply for the initiatives beginning in November, the release said, with public notices and procurement opportunities announced through GovDelivery email notifications. The agency cautioned that federal funding is contingent on meeting all applicable program requirements.