Reproductive Health Matters

Texas Women’s Foundation knows that reproductive health is an important part of women’s health. The freedom to easily access contraception, preventive services, pregnancy-related care, and screenings is vital to women and girls across the state. Health care impacts mental health and has implicit economic security ramifications. As such, reproductive health is part of the Foundation’s Health Care Initiative and is included in a broader focus on economic security, along with housing, education and child care.

In response to growing challenges to access health care in urban and rural areas, the Health Care Access Reproductive Freedom Initiative launched in the summer of 2022. Texas Women’s Foundation awarded grants totaling $487,125 to address women’s reproductive health needs and the challenges facing women in the state, especially in west and south Texas. The grants impact a significant geographic portion of the state by supporting services for women in an area that extends from the tip of the Panhandle to the State’s southern border and along the Gulf Coast.

The Initiative’s focus on the rural areas mirrors Texas’ health workforce shortages and the resulting impact is significant.

One reproductive health grant provides support for a clinic to increase the hours of availability for specialty medical OB/GYN care in a county without a single OB/GYN. Other grants support the efforts of the grantee to recruit, retain and grow health-related talent in geographic areas with a limited pool of applicants. Education and communitybased relationships are both vital to understanding reproductive health and funding for community health educators. One grantee needed support for Promotoras, who are local providers that develop relationships based on trust, often peer-to-peer, and she provides education that is medically accurate and culturally and linguistically appropriate. This will directly impact women in the most rural and isolated communities including the plains of West Texas and the colonias along the border.

A priority for the Initiative is removing barriers to reproductive health services and increasing the immediacy of providing reproductive health services for women. Some TXWF funding is to expand exam rooms and expedite labs, so that multiple visits to a clinic can be eliminated. In rural areas, one visit can mean hours of travel and waiting, and thus discourage initial or return visits. In addition, the Foundation granted funds to build an inventory of the most desired and long-lasting contraceptives in one rural county, thus eliminating wait times and return trips to pick up a product. Our grants also alleviated financial barriers to access for services and products, often brought about by the administrative burdens of the very programs designed to provide the financial assistance needed.

There is so much need across the state, and Texas Women’s Foundation is committed to the Health Care Reproductive Freedom Initiative, with additional grants of more than $500,000 to be awarded this spring.

Grantee Organizations

Access Esperanza Clinics Inc. (McAllen)

Cactus Health Services Inc. (Fort Stockton)

Haven Health Clinics (Amarillo)

Project Vida Health Center (El Paso)

South Plains Rural Health Services Inc. (Levelland)

South Texas Family Planning & Health Corporation (Corpus Christi)

South Texas Rural Health Services, Inc. (Cotulla)

Vida y Salud Health System, Inc. (Crystal City) ese clinics are providing services in these priority areas:

-Pregnancy related services, including legal and mental health services

-Training for sta to optimize health care access

-Service enhancing technology to providers in health care deserts

-Sta ng costs to expand services or meet increased need

-Full access to all types of birth control, including long-acting, reversible contraceptives

Learn More About the Health Care Initiative and How You Can Support: txwf.org/economic-security/healthcare