Waco Family Medicine asks McLennan County for $868,588 to cover medical‑cost inflation for safety‑net care

Waco Family Medicine presented to the commissioners court on July 14 seeking continued county support to maintain safety‑net primary and behavioral health services across McLennan County. The clinic told the court it served over 50,000 county patients in 2025 (nearly 300,000 visits in total across sites) and reported nearly 61,000 behavioral‑health visits and 22,000 dental visits last year.

The organization described new initiatives including school‑based behavioral‑health centers at three middle schools, a mobile/street medicine unit serving unsheltered residents, and a justice‑transition program that takes referrals from the jail to bridge people into community care. Presenter noted an HRSA award—a five‑year, $2.5 million grant—supporting expanded services.

Explaining the ask, Waco Family Medicine said federal base grant levels cover far less per patient than other centers and that uncompensated care remains a material pressure: "The overall number that we've requested this year is 868,588," the presenter said, asking the court to fund a 3.2% inflation adjustment tied to outpatient medical cost inflation so care for uninsured and functionally uninsured patients can continue.

Commissioners asked about program uptake (school referrals, parent consent processes), sustainability and whether surrounding counties would share costs; staff said they continue to pursue additional funding sources and that some state and federal support has already helped launch pilots. The court did not take an immediate funding vote; members asked staff to return with budget integration options and timing for possible county support.