South Texas Rural Health Services, Inc. History
• STRHS, Inc. has been in existence for thirty- three (33) years.
• In 1978 the first clinic was established in Cotulla in the La Salle County Hospital building.
• During the early 1980’s South Texas Rural Health Services, Inc. shared the building with Dr. Johnny Barton, a prominent private physician in the community. Dr. Barton later worked with STRHS, Inc in a very successful practice that served many La Salle residents.
• Also, in the early 1980’s a clinic in Asherton was opened. After some time, the organization determined it was more effective to locate a clinic in Dimmit County in Carrizo Springs and in 1983 the clinic was opened in Carrizo.
• In 1983, a clinic in Pearsall was opened with the collaboration of the El Sacrificio Organization.
• In 1985, STRHS, identified a need for substance abuse services and began our first substance abuse program, called Project Sunrise.
• In 1986, we obtained dental equipment from a dental program, which was closing, and we began our first dental program in the Cotulla Clinic.
• In 1996, the substance abuse program was funded to include the service area of La Salle, Dimmit, Zavala, Real, and Uvalde counties. At this time we opened the Uvalde clinic.
• Medina County was included in the original Article of Incorporation, however it was not until 1997 that we were able to fulfill that mission by opening a clinic in Devine.
• In 2001, STRHS, Inc. received a New Access Point grant, which allowed us to open the Hondo clinic.
• STRHS, Inc was offered property and a building by the Armando C. Garcia family in Cotulla and in 2004 we completed a renovation of the building and opened the Armando C. Garcia Community Center Building.
• In 2006, STRHS, Inc was fortunate to receive federal and state grants, which provided for the renovation and establishment of the Encinal and Big Wells clinic.
• Through a grant provided by Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas we added a new type of facility. The South Texas Wellness Center is a facility designed to provide Behavioral Health Care and Education Services. This facility was opened in 2007.
• In 2008, we received funding to construct a second Wellness Center in Medina County.
