United Way of the Brazos Valley’s health care transportation program, Ride2Health, helps eligible patients access non-emergency medical appointments, mental health services and pharmacies. To qualify for Ride2Health, individuals must be patients of one of the program’s partnering health agencies.

Ride2Health began taking shape in August 2021 with support from a State Farm Good Neighbor Grant and officially launched in February 2022 with volunteer drivers. Additional grants and funding have allowed United Way of the Brazos Valley to expand transportation services through a partnership with Lyft.

Participating health agencies include:

• The Prenatal Clinic

• MHMR Authority of Brazos Valley

• Brazos Valley Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse

• Brazos County Health District

• Health for All

• Elizabeth House Maternity Home

• HealthPoint

“So many neighbors struggle on a daily basis to get to doctor’s visits, the pharmacy or any number of errands that most of us take for granted,” said Liz Dickey, Executive Director of Health for All. “Transportation barriers lead to rescheduled or missed appointments, delayed care and missed or delayed medication use and can result in increased health expenditures and overall poorer health outcomes. Removing this one barrier to accessing basic healthcare will have a ripple effect that will truly change lives.”

“I am happy to be a part of the United Way and this community where we can identify a need and then continue to work toward a solution until we have moved the needle and done what needed to be done,” said Dickey. “It is often far too easy to say ‘the problem is too big’ or ‘I can’t change it.’ Instead, we have a prime example of people fighting for change and not accepting that they couldn’t do it. As a result, our neighbors will have a better shot at a happy and healthy life. That’s a huge deal and I could not be prouder to be a part of it.”

Since its inception, Ride2Health has provided more than 4,300 rides to medical appointments for Brazos Valley residents who receive care through participating agencies.

United Way of the Brazos Valley is seeking additional health agency partnerships to expand Ride2Health’s reach in Burleson, Grimes, Madison, Robertson and Washington counties. As the program grows, eligibility will continue to require that riders be patients of a partnering health agency.