Texas Celebrates National Rural Health Day

AUSTIN, TX –– On Thursday, Texas joined the rest of the country in celebrating National Rural Health Day. This day was created to showcase rural America and increase awareness of rural health-related issues.

In collaboration with the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and the Texas Department of Agriculture recognized the "importance of rural health care and the unique challenges faced in rural communities across Texas."

“Nearly one in every five Americans lives in a rural community, and we need to recognize, understand and help meet the challenges they face when it comes to health care,” said Commissioner Miller. “I’m proud to stand by our neighbors and friends in rural Texas to celebrate National Rural Health Day and learn more about how we can help them meet their individual health care needs.”

The latest data shows approximately 62 million people — or nearly one in five Americans — live in rural and frontier communities throughout the United States. The State Office of Rural Health or SORH plays a key role in fostering relationships, disseminating information, and providing technical assistance to improve access and quality of health care for rural citizens.

Texas SORH supports rural Texans by hosting multiple programs that aim to help rural hospitals health clinics across the state with the recruitment and retention of healthcare providers, facility improvements, financial and operational improvement projects, hospital board education, as well as quality improvements for critical access hospitals.

“TDA heads up the State Office of Rural Health in Texas and I know just how important it is to see that our rural health care providers receive the tools they need to successfully care for Texans," said Commissioner Miller. "My folks were able to secure over $40 million in COVID-19 assistance to Texas rural hospitals over the past 18 months. Anything we can do to help- we will.”

Events recognizing National Rural Health Day took place across the state Thursday to promote the efforts of the State Offices of Rural Health.