COMMISSIONER SID MILLER OBSERVES NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH DAY (11/16/2023)

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release:
November 16, 2023

COMMISSIONER SID MILLER OBSERVES NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH DAY
Celebrating the “Power of Rural”

AUSTIN – Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller joined the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health and the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals to observe National Rural Health Day. This annual event is an opportunity to celebrate the “Power of Rural” and honor the individuals and organizations dedicated to addressing the unique healthcare needs of rural America.

“One in every five Americans lives in a rural community, and it is important to recognize, understand, and help meet their individual healthcare needs,” Commissioner Miller said. “And because of this, the Texas Department of Agriculture’s State Office of Rural Health is dedicated to giving our rural health care providers the tools they need to successfully care for Texans. We provide services, programs, and grants totaling millions of dollars for rural health care across the state.”

About 61 million people — or nearly one in five Americans — live in rural and frontier communities throughout the United States. The Texas State Office of Rural Health plays a key role in fostering relationships, disseminating information, and providing technical assistance to improve access and quality of health care for rural citizens.

The Texas State Office of Rural Health supports rural Texans through various programs that are geared towards helping rural hospitals and rural health clinics 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.

Since 2011, the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health has set aside the third Thursday of November to celebrate the "Power of Rural.” National Rural Health Day was created to showcase rural America and increase awareness of rural health-related issues. Events recognizing National Rural Health Day are taking place across the state today and promoting the efforts of the State Offices of Rural Health.

“The heart of Texas agriculture beats strongest in these small towns and rural counties,” Miller said. “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 Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals believes that there are always challenges, but also new strategies that allow better service to rural communities. Their mission has and always will be to preserve rural and community hospitals so that healthcare can remain local.

“Rural hospitals and clinics will spend the day doing what they always do: taking good care of their communities,” John Henderson, President/CEO of The Texas Organization of Rural and Community said. “But the rest of us pause to honor and recognize the often-heroic effort required to provide access to underserved communities, participate in the trauma program, and be a safety net to the most vulnerable among us. Hats off to rural health providers and rural leaders.”

Additional information about National Rural Health Day can be found here.

To learn more about Texas State Office of Rural Health, click here.

To learn more about the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals, click here.

For additional information, please visit www.texasagriculture.gov/

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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

More TDA press releases are available at TexasAgriculture.gov/Newsroom.