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Big Bend hospital district outlines plan to pursue stateRural Texas Strong funds, seeks regional network
Summary
Big Bend Regional Hospital District presented plans to apply for the state's "Rural Texas Strong" tranche, proposing a five-county clinically integrated network to increase access to primary care, healthy food and fitness; timeline depends on state RFP details.
Representatives of the Big Bend Regional Hospital District told Brewster County commissioners that Texas’s share of federal health funding includes a Rural Texas Strong initiative the district intends to pursue for regional investments. Lynette said Texas was awarded about $1.4 billion and that the Rural Texas Strong bucket totals $433 million over five years, with roughly $250 million expected to be distributed in year one.
Lynette described a plan to apply as a region across Brewster, Presidio, Jeff Davis, Hudspeth and Terrell counties and stressed that some funding categories require participation in a clinically integrated network (CIN). "This is basically the make rural Texans healthy again — $433,000,000 over 5 years," she said. Dr. Toby Hamilton, CEO of Hamilton Health, explained the CIN approach and promised the district will return with a proposed MOU after the state issues more detailed RFP guidance.
Hamilton emphasized shared data and coordination to retain care locally and improve economics: "If I make it easy for you to go to the doctor, you'll go to the doctor," he said, describing clinic, pharmacy and hospital coordination. Staff said the RFP timeline could see applications in the second quarter, awards in the second quarter and funds flowing in the third quarter, but they cautioned that the state had not yet defined distribution methodology.
Commissioners voiced support and emphasized scaling services in small communities such as Marathon and Terlingua. No formal commitment of county funds was requested; staff will bring an MOU back for court consideration once state guidance and program details are available.
