Rural nurse retention program expands medical access for rural Texans: TDA

The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) earlier this month announced 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 ruralTexas,”TexasAgriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said. “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 attheirfacility.Accesstomedicalcareiscrucial 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 said he 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,” he said.

RNRR applications are due June 27, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. As the award is competitive, TDA cannot review completed applications before the deadline. However, staff are available to answer questions until 5 p.m. on June 27.

Program

TheRuralNursingRecruitment&Retention Program (RNRR) supports qualified rural health care facilities. The RNRR Program aims to provide eligible rural Texas healthcare facilities with funds to incentivize nurses to work, or continue to work, in their facility by providing a stipend assistance program.

An awarded facility shall provide stipend assistance to a selected nurse who is currently employed, or will be employed, by the facility and who agrees to work full-time for a minimum of 36 consecutive months.

Authority

TexasGovernmentCode§487.051provides that the TDA shall assist rural communities in the key areas of economic development, community development, rural health, and rural housing. The 88th Texas Legislature appropriated funds under the House Bill 1, General Appropriations Action for the 202425 Biennium, Article VI, Rider 29 to TDA for rural nursing retention and recruitment.

Eligibility

An eligible rural Texas healthcare facility for the RNRR Program will be any healthcare facility that:

• employs nurses;

• provides direct patient care to its community as a whole;

• accepts Medicare/Medicaid patients; and

• is located within a rural Texas county with a population of 68,000 or less.

Examples of eligible healthcare facilities include, but not limited to, the following:

• Hospitals;

• Rural Health Clinics;

• Nursing Homes/Assisted Living Facility; or

• Public Health Departments. TDA encourages healthcare facilities to reach out with any questions about eligibility. For more information, email Texas State Office of Rural Health at RuralHealth@TexasAgriculture.gov.