AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday that Texas will distribute $51 million in federal funding to 68 rural hospital districts and authorities through the state’s Rural Texas Strong initiative to support preventive health, wellness and nutrition programs.
Each of the 68 rural hospital districts and authorities will receive $750,000 through funding administered from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
The funding comes from the $281.3 million Texas received during the first year of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, which provides states with funding to improve health care in rural communities.
Texas expects to receive about $1.4 billion in federal funding over five years through the program.
The initiative, also called “Make Rural Texans Healthy Again,” focuses on improving rural health outcomes and addressing chronic conditions through community-based programs.
“Every community in Texas deserves a health system that provides high-quality, accessible care,” Abbott said in a statement. He said the funding will help rural hospital districts expand preventive care, wellness and nutrition programs.
The Rural Health Transformation Program was created under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and provides $50 billion to states over five years for rural health care initiatives.
Texas plans to use the broader funding for chronic disease prevention, consumer health technology, artificial intelligence, telehealth, health care workforce recruitment and retention, cybersecurity, and equipment upgrades at rural hospitals and clinics.
The federal funding remains contingent on Texas meeting applicable program requirements.
