On the Ground in South Texas: How Our Partners Are Responding to the Flash Floods

When flash floods swept through South Texas, they left behind more than damaged homes and washed-out roads. For many families in rural communities, the floods also disrupted access to something just as essential: healthcare.

That’s where the Texas Women’s Healthcare Coalition’s partner, South Texas Family Planning and Health Corporation (STFPHC), stepped in.

A Mobile Clinic, Meeting People Where They Are

 

Since the floods hit, Dr. Sally Perales and the STFPHC mobile clinic team, including Mobile Clinic Manager Sarah Villarreal, have made it a weekly commitment, including overnight trips, to reach residents across the hardest-hit counties: Maverick, Uvalde, and Zavala.

Working alongside local police and sheriff’s deputies at disaster command centers, the team has gone door-to-door and neighborhood-to-neighborhood, dispensing medications, providing wound care, and connecting flood-impacted residents with services they might not otherwise be able to reach. In areas where medical care is already scarce, and healthcare barriers are already high, the mobile clinic team has been able to step in for residents dealing with everything from chronic conditions to injuries sustained during the floods.

The team has also walked through homes damaged by the flooding — including a trailer home knocked completely off its foundation — to check on residents and assess what kind of help is still needed.

Recognition from the Communities They Serve

 

On July 23, 2026, the STFPHC mobile unit visited Crystal City and Batesville. In the days that followed, the Crystal City Coalition publicly thanked Dr. Perales and her staff for their fast response and steady presence, noting the team’s continued commitment to serving the community. The coalition also confirmed that STFPHC will be returning for future visits as recovery efforts continue.

Why This Matters

 

Disaster recovery doesn’t end when the floodwaters recede, for many rural Texas families, it’s just the beginning of a long road back to normalcy, and healthcare access is often one of the first things to fall through the cracks. STFPHC’s mobile clinic model shows what’s possible when providers commit to showing up consistently, not just once, but week after week, for as long as the need continues.

At TWHC, we’re proud to count STFPHC among our coalition partners, and we’ll continue sharing updates as their recovery work continues across South Texas.