Senator Blanco SB 1700 - HEAL Texans Act

Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nurses of Texas is proud to support State Senator Blanco’s HEAL Texans Act (SB 1700) in his efforts to expand healthcare access and reduce healthcare inequality by removing barriers to practice for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) in Texas, including nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists.  

90% of Texans report a lack of access to care, and more than 80% of Texas counties have less than one mental health clinician for every 30,000 residents. In 2021, 168 of 254 Texas counties (estimated 3 million people) did not have a single psychiatrist and, as of 2019, 211 of those counties did not have a single advanced practice psychiatric-mental health nurse. (DSHS 2022).   

SB 1700, or the HEAL Texans Act, increases access to healthcare for all Texans by removing needless and costly administrative and financial barriers to APRNs.  By allowing APRNs to practice as a licensed independent practitioner, Texans will have increased access to the high quality physical and psychiatric care they deserve.

We applaud State Senator Blanco and his earnest efforts to HEAL Texans!

#betterhealth4Texas #texaslegislature #betterhealthcare