Access to affordable healthcare remains a pressing issue for residents of Texas District 126, particularly for low-income families, seniors, veterans, the disabled community, and those with special needs. Despite being a rapidly growing area, the district faces significant healthcare gaps, including limited access to primary care, mental health services, and specialized care. This problem is further exacerbated by a shortage of local clinics, medical facilities, and providers that accept public health insurance, making healthcare accessibility a critical concern. Currently, Texas District 126 has an abundance of healthcare facilities yet a limited number of healthcare facilities to meet the needs of its diverse population. The district also has urgent care centers, primary care clinics, and specialty medical offices, but lacks a comprehensive network of hospitals and dedicated memory and assisted living centers, which are essential for supporting seniors and individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities. Our District is blessed to have hospitals in the area but an absence of local full-service hospitals means that residents often have to travel outside the district for emergency care, surgical procedures, or specialized treatments, creating barriers for those with limited mobility or resources. Additionally, there is a critical need to improve services for veterans and those with disabilities. District 126 lacks specialized veterans’ healthcare facilities and accessible centers that provide tailored services to address the unique health challenges faced by these groups. Furthermore, centers for individuals with special needs are few, and existing ones often struggle with underfunding, staffing shortages, and inadequate resources to provide the level of care required.
Measurable Actions Needed to Strengthen Healthcare Access and Affordability:
- Expand Community Health Clinics and Mobile Health Units: Action: Work to secure funding to establish at least two new community health clinics within the district within the next 18 months, focusing on areas with the highest need. Additionally, advocate for mobile health units that can provide services such as routine check-ups, vaccinations, and screenings to underserved areas, making healthcare more accessible to seniors, low-income families, and the disabled.
- Increase Funding and Support for Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Special Needs Centers: Action: Advocate for state grants and local funding to expand existing assisted living and memory care facilities, as well as create specialized centers for those with
disabilities within the district. This would include increasing staffing, enhancing facilities, and ensuring that these centers can accept public health insurance and provide high-quality care to residents.
- Establish a Veteran and Disability Healthcare Resource Hub: Action: Develop a dedicated resource hub within the next 12 months to connect veterans and disabled residents with specialized healthcare services, mental health support, and benefits counseling. This center will provide navigation assistance to help residents access VA healthcare services and other essential resources.
- Improve Mental Health Services and Access: Action: Push for increased mental health funding to establish at least one mental health clinic within the district focused on providing accessible, affordable services, including counseling, crisis intervention, and support groups. Partner with local providers to offer telehealth services for those unable to travel. Some other District issues such as bullying, crime, domestic violence, suicide, workplace stress, etc. have mental health as one of the root causes so removing stigma of mental health and providing access and normalcy for mental health care in the District can beneficial in many ways for all ages.
- Collaborate with Local Healthcare Providers to Expand Medicaid and Medicare Acceptance: Action: Work with local clinics, medical offices, and urgent care centers to expand the acceptance of Medicaid, Medicare, and CHIP, ensuring that all residents, particularly low-income families and seniors, can access care. Establish partnerships to provide financial incentives for healthcare providers who accept public insurance. Currently, only a few providers even accept TriCare and Champus.
- Create a District Healthcare Task Force: Action: Form a task force within the next 6 months composed of healthcare professionals, local government representatives, and community members to assess ongoing healthcare needs, recommend policy changes, and track progress on healthcare accessibility initiatives. This task force will work to identify gaps in care and propose targeted solutions. These actions aim to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure in District 126, making quality care more accessible and affordable for all residents. By expanding local resources, improving coordination between providers, and advocating for targeted investments, we can ensure that our community receives the healthcare support it deserves.
“A true leader and Texas House Representative must not only take action but make it a priority to measure the impact of those actions. Without accountability and measurable outcomes, we cannot truly serve our community or understand the real effects of our decisions. By measuring our actions, we ensure that we are delivering on our promises, making data-driven improvements, and creating meaningful change that benefits all Texans.” -Sarah Smith
MY MEAURABLE EVALUATION CRITERIA
To ensure the effectiveness of the proposed actions, I plan to implement measurable evaluation criteria to track progress and outcomes. Here’s how I will measure the impact of these initiatives:
- Tracking Clinic and Mobile Health Unit Usage: – Measurement: Collect data on the number of new patients served, frequency of visits, and types of services provided at new community health clinics and mobile health units. – Outcome: Success will be measured by a 20% increase in healthcare access for underserved populations, including seniors, low-income families, and individuals with disabilities, within the first year of implementation.
- Monitoring Funding Impact on Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Special Needs Centers: – Measurement: Assess the number of new facilities opened, the expansion of services, staff increases, and the number of residents served. – Outcome: Success will be measured by a 15% increase in the capacity of assisted living and memory care centers, and a measurable improvement in service ratings from residents and families.
- Veteran and Disability Healthcare Resource Hub Engagement: – Measurement: Track the number of veterans and individuals with disabilities served, the types of resources accessed, and feedback on service satisfaction. – Outcome: Aim for at least 500 veterans and disabled individuals utilizing the resource hub within the first year, with a satisfaction rating of 80% or higher.
- Expansion of Mental Health Services: – Measurement: Monitor patient intake at the new mental health clinic, availability of crisis intervention services, and the usage rates of telehealth options. – Outcome: Measure a 25% increase in access to mental health services and a reduction in wait times for appointments.
- Increase in Medicaid and Medicare Acceptance Among Providers: – Measurement: Track the number of healthcare providers within the district who begin accepting public health insurance after outreach efforts, and patient reports of improved access. – Outcome: Target a 10% increase in providers accepting Medicaid and Medicare within two years.
- Healthcare Task Force Reporting: – Measurement: Regular reports from the task force assessing gaps in care, progress on implemented initiatives, and recommendations for ongoing improvement. – Outcome: Publish quarterly reports with data-driven insights and proposed legislative actions to further enhance healthcare access.
Addressing These Issues at the Legislative Level in Austin
To effectively advocate for these changes on the legislative level, I plan to:
- Propose Legislation for Increased Healthcare Funding: I will introduce bills that allocate state funds specifically for the development of community health clinics, mental health services, and assisted living centers in underserved areas, including District 126. This will involve working closely with healthcare committees to ensure these bills address the specific needs of our community.
- Advocate for Expanded Medicaid and Medicare Acceptance Incentives: I will push for state-level incentives, such as tax breaks or grants, for healthcare providers who accept public health insurance. By testifying in committee hearings and working with fellow lawmakers, I will highlight the critical need for broader insurance acceptance in underserved areas.
- Secure State Support for Veteran and Disability Resources: I will work to pass legislation that provides state funding for veteran and disability resource hubs, emphasizing the importance of tailored healthcare access for these groups. 4. Champion Mental Health Legislation: I will support and co-sponsor legislation that increases state funding for mental health services, particularly focusing on accessible care for low-income families, seniors, and veterans. I will use data from District 126 to demonstrate the urgent need for expanded mental health resources statewide.
- Collaborate with Local and State Agencies: I will foster partnerships with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and local health departments to implement pilot programs in District 126, using our district as a model for broader state initiatives.
- Establish a Legislative Healthcare Task Force: I will advocate for a statewide task force that mirrors our district’s local task force to address healthcare access issues, providing recommendations that can shape policy and direct funding to areas of greatest need. By leveraging data from District 126 and engaging directly with other legislators, committees, and state agencies, I will ensure that our community’s healthcare challenges are not only heard but addressed comprehensively at the state level.