COMMISSIONER MILLER ANNOUNCES RURAL NURSING PROGRAM TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN NURSES (6/3/2024)

Rural nurse retention program expands medical access for rural Texans

AUSTIN – Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) announced today that applications are open for the Rural Nursing Recruitment & Retention Program (RNRR), which provides eligible healthcare facilities with funds to incentivize nurses to work in rural areas of Texas. 

“We’re at a critical point with health care in rural Texas,” said Commissioner Miller. “Rural health facilities are losing hardworking nurses left and right due to understaffing and burnout.  These funds will help these facilities recruit and retain nurses, who are so necessary in providing quality healthcare.”

Under the RNRR, rural healthcare facilities can provide $15,000 in stipend assistance to nurses who agree to work or continue to work at their facility. Access to medical care is crucial for rural Texans. With the implementation of RNRR, qualifying rural healthcare facilities will be able to attract and retain needed staff to provide quality care. 

Eligible institutions include any healthcare facility that employs nurses, provides direct patient care, accepts Medicare and Medicaid, and is located within a rural Texas county with a population of 68,000 or less. Providing funding to these institutions ensures that they have the tools to better serve their communities, demonstrating TDA’s commitment to expanding medical access for all Texans. 

Commissioner Miller is optimistic that these funds will set the stage for development in rural Texas. “We have to give money to these small communities to help them attract the level of care offered in big cities, and this is just the start.”

RNRR applications are due June 27, 2024, at 11:59 PM. As the award is competitive, TDA cannot review completed applications before the deadline. However, staff are available to answer questions until 5:00 PM on June 27. TDA encourages healthcare facilities to reach out with any questions about eligibility. 

For more information, please click here.

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Maddison Jaureguito
Director of Communications
Texas Department of Agriculture
(512) 475-1669 (Office)

Maddison.Jaureguito@TexasAgriculture.gov