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Women’s health mobile-unit operators seek more funding to expand preventative services to rural and underserved areas
Summary
Mobile women’s health units testified to the Senate Finance Committee that demand outstrips current funding and asked the Legislature to add funds so existing units can serve more stops and new counties, including rural border counties that currently lack services.
Multiple witnesses, including program operators and coalition representatives, told the Senate Finance Committee that women’s health preventative mobile units have been successful in reaching underserved, rural and nontraditional locations but that funding has not kept pace with demand.
Joanne Hufstedler and Martha Zuniga (representing mobile-unit providers and coalitions) thanked senators for previous support and asked for additional funding to expand capacity into counties such as Zavala, Maverick and Travis and to sustain operations at high-demand stops. One witness said the units “run through our money and go into funds gone” because the demand at each stop exceeds available appointments. The committee was asked to consider funding already included in the HHSC LAR and to expand appropriation so units can add stops and staff.
Ending: Operators sought inclusion of more funding in the Article 2 budget to sustain mobile-unit operations and expand geographic coverage.
