Since Lake Whitney Medical Center closed in 2014, the independent practice of Randall Henderson, DO, has been the go-to medical home for roughly 1,900 Whitney residents and 20,000 across the region. His practice was long overdue for some upgrades, now coming soon courtesy of Rural Texas Strong.
State officials have begun implementing and distributing Texas’ share of $50 billion in federal funds to be dispersed over five years under the Rural Health Transformation Program established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Texas was allocated $1.4 billion out of that pool and created the Rural Texas Strong grant program. The money will be divvied into six initiatives for various rural needs.
Dr. Henderson received $200,000 in grant money from Initiative Six, designed to bolster rural healthcare infrastructure and capital investments. His grant is part of a total of $8 million in first-year funding that was awarded Oct. 22 to 28 rural health practitioners and entities. In all, $137 million of the $281 million available for the first year has now been awarded.
“This Rural Texas Strong program makes it possible for me to keep my facility upgraded, safe, clean, and respond appropriately in an emergency if there’s a power outage,” Dr. Henderson said.
Whitney Family Medicine is now shopping for a new propane-powered emergency generator, lab equipment, two automated external defibrillators, an autoclave for sterilization, and doors that meet Americans with Disabilities Actstandards.
“I’m not a wealthy doctor. I’m kind of a broke guy most days,” said Dr. Henderson, a family medicine specialist who’s been practicing for 25 years. “With that said, I’m still very blessed and grateful for the opportunity to take care of these people and still get by.”
In September, the state’s Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) first awarded $51 million in grant money to 68 rural hospital districts withpublicly owned and operated hospitals. Each facility received $750,000 in direct funding in the first year of the five-year program.
Then on Oct. 15, Gov. Greg Abbott’s office announced a $78 million distribution to 216 healthcare professionals and entities statewide; mid- and small-sized practices, including Dr. Henderson’s, made the list alongside larger organizations.
In tiny Whitney, Dr. Henderson is a one-stop shop for medical care. Residents come to him for both physical and behavioral health needs, but the largest hospital for surgical matters is a 35-mile drive to Waco. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he got $100,000 in federal funding and bought an X-ray machine. When he saw what could be possible with a Rural Texas Strong grant, Dr. Henderson says, his mind started racing.
Each one of the six Rural Texas Strong Initiatives is aimed at specific areas of rural health. As a reflection of the continued emphasis members place on the role of the Texas Medical Association in improving access to care in rural areas, the TMA House of Delegates also adopted more policies aimed at strengthening the rural workforce at its annual TexMed convention in April.
For example, new TMA policy “strongly supports use of the federal grant funds to the Rural Health Transformation Grant Program for Texas to recruit and retain physicians in rural areas of Texas” and calls for biannual reporting on monies allocated through the program.
More Rural Texas Strong grants will be awarded in the coming weeks. This initial wave is only the beginning. TMA will continue to monitor HHSC’s distribution of funds.
“I love my job. I love taking care of people,” Dr. Henderson said. “It’s the biggest blessing you’ll ever get if you get to be a physician and be a part of people’s lives.”
For questions about the Rural Texas Strong program, contact HHSC Rural Texas Strong.