Spotlight|May 25, 2026

Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced $60 million in initial federal funding to support chronic disease prevention and holistic health efforts in rural communities across the state. The funding will help rural hospital districts expand access to community-based programs focused on nutrition, exercise, preventive screenings, and primary care services.

According to the announcement, the initiative will support projects such as community wellness centers, farmers markets and food access programs, low- or no-cost chronic disease screenings, and after-hours clinics aimed at reducing unnecessary emergency room visits. The investment is part of the state’s broader Rural Texas Strong plan, which is expected to bring approximately $1.4 billion in federal rural health funding to Texas over five years.

The funding was awarded through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) and broader rural-health innovation efforts, which have directed funding to states nationwide to support preventive health services, maternal health initiatives, and expanded healthcare access in underserved rural communities.

As the nation’s second-most populous state (just behind California), Texas plays an outsized role in shaping national health trends, making large-scale prevention investments especially significant. Texas also faces chronic disease burdens that mirror or exceed national averages in several key categories, including obesity and diabetes, particularly across rural regions where access to preventive care is often more limited.

Research consistently shows that rural communities experience higher rates of chronic illness and related mortality than urban populations, including elevated rates of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular-related deaths. In Texas, some rural regions, including parts of the Rio Grande Valley, have reported diabetes prevalence rates significantly above national averages, underscoring the need for expanded prevention and community-health investments.

In 2025, End Chronic Disease played a pivotal role in helping Texas lawmakers pass SB 25, an omnibus Texas health bill that established a state Nutrition Advisory Council, expanded physical education requirements in public schools, strengthened food labeling transparency, and enhanced nutrition education for medical professionals.

Together, these efforts reflect growing momentum in Texas around prevention-focused health policy and a broader recognition that addressing chronic disease requires upstream, community-based solutions. As Governor Abbott noted in announcing the initiative, strengthening rural healthcare access and improving long-term health outcomes remain key priorities for the state moving forward.

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