Atascosa Health Center Receives $4 Million to Build New Sites

Congressman Henry Cuellar presented Atascosa Health Center with a check for $4,099,500 last Thursday.

The Atascosa Health Center Board meets Thursday to determine exactly how those funds will be spent. One of the top priorities discussed was the building of an Atascosa Health Care site specifically for the community of Poteet.

“It’s such a great honor to be here,” said Atascosa Health Center, CEO, Monty Small. “Over the last 16 years, since I started here, we had one site, and with the direction of the board today we are in five counties with six sites, soon to be seven sites if we do go into Poteet with the approval of the board.”

Small said that he has worked all sides of health care private and nonprofit. “I started in community health centers back in the 80s, not wanting to date oneself, but that’s been a few years ago. Without the funding of Congressman Cuellar and his peers that has been given to us to do what we do, we would not be here. It’s as simple as that. It is this funding that when that patient walks through our door, our practitioners don’t have to worry about anything but one thing, taking care of that patient. We don’t care if you have the best insurance or no insurance, we’re here. And this funding, in 30 plus years I’ve been doing this, it’s the first time ever, Congressman, that I’ve ever seen something like this really benefit the movement of community health centers nationwide.”

Atascosa Health Center CEO Monty Small, AHC CFO Maria Garcia, Congressman Cuellar, Pleasanton Mayor Travis and Atascosa County Judge Robert Hurley thanked the AHC board members and the AHC health care practitioners who have worked tirelessly through COVID-19 to keep the clinic going.

“I can certainly tell you that today is a fivestar kind of day since the Congressman is here with us,” said Pleasanton Mayor Travis Hall. “It’s a pleasure to be here today and congratulations to the Atascosa Health Center on the funding that you are receiving.”

“Who would have thought a couple of years ago that we would have been facing a global pandemic?” asked Hall. “Some of us have lost friends. Some of us have lost family members. I will tell you through all this, Monty, the Atascosa Health Center has done an outstanding job serving the city and serving the people of South Texas. Thanks to Congressman Cuellar who has continuously supported the city, and to Monty, the Atascosa Health Center staff and all the health care professionals and employees. I have said this many, many times before and I will say it again. You are truly an asset to this community, and we are glad to have you in our city.”

The Pleasanton Express will report fully in next week’s issue on the AHC board’s vote regarding the $4,099,500. The Pleasanton Express will also, as part of National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week, be telling the stories of the AHC practioners who have worked tirelessly and continue to do so daily and on Saturdays at the AHC. Please call the Atascosa Health Center regarding their free COVID-19 vaccine program at 830-569-2527.

Link to original story here.