Eliminating unnecessary regulations surrounding APRNs, peer support specialists, and telemedicine will increase options for mental health providers and lead to job growth. The state should consolidate health profession licensing and regulation into a single board with advisory panels similar to TDLR that is controlled by public appointees rather than market participants and consider a certification process rather than licensure for certain mental health professions.
Health Care
Don’t Fence Me In: Challenges for Health Care in Rural Texas
LLANO, TEXAS—Dr. Jack Franklin often stops for coffee on his way to his modest office in this Texas Hill Country town. With a population of about 3,300, Llano is small enough that he’s bound to bump into a patient or two from time to time. At the Fuel Coffee House, he’s even served his daily...
March 16, 2026