Finding affordable healthcare in the Houston area may soon become easier thanks to a new online tool launched by Harris County Public Health and the Houston Health Department.
The agencies have released the 2026 Access to Care Report and an interactive Low-Cost Clinic Finder Tool, designed to help Harris County residents locate affordable healthcare services and better navigate the region’s public health system.
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Officials say the resources are intended to address a common challenge for many families: knowing where to go for care, understanding eligibility requirements and finding providers that fit their needs.
“Too often, it’s too hard for community members to get the healthcare they need,” Harris County Public Health Executive Director Leah Barton said in a statement. “By understanding the barriers people face, making commitments to address those barriers, and releasing this practical, easy-to-use clinic finder, we’re putting essential health services within reach.”
The 2026 Access to Care Report examines why many Houston-area residents struggle to access healthcare and organizes its findings into three key areas:
- Affording care
- Finding care
- Receiving care
The report identifies challenges ranging from the cost of medical visits to transportation, language barriers, scheduling difficulties and navigating multiple healthcare systems.
It also outlines commitments from Harris County Public Health, the Houston Health Department, Harris Health System and The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD to improve coordination between agencies and make it easier for residents to access medical and behavioral health services.
The new Clinic Finder Tool allows users to search for affordable healthcare services offered through:
- Harris County Public Health
- Houston Health Department
- Harris Health System
- The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD
Instead of visiting multiple websites or calling several agencies, residents can use the centralized tool to find clinics that meet their healthcare needs.
Officials say future updates will include additional community providers, including Federally Qualified Health Centers that serve uninsured and underinsured patients.
“Access to healthcare should never depend on someone’s ability to navigate a complicated system,” Houston Health Department Director and local health authority Dr. Theresa Tran said in a statement. “This report and the Low-Cost Clinic Finder Tool reflect what is possible when healthcare and public health organizations work together to remove barriers.”
Harris County Public Health provides a wide range of free and low-cost services, including:
- Childhood and adult vaccinations
- Dental care at select clinics
- Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition services
- Chronic disease prevention programs
- Community health outreach
- Environmental health services
- Mosquito control
- Care coordination through ACCESS Harris County
The department also helps connect eligible residents with mental health services, housing assistance and other community resources.
Public webinar scheduled
Officials will host a free public webinar from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, to introduce the report and demonstrate how to use the Low-Cost Clinic Finder Tool.
The webinar will include an overview of the report’s findings and a live walkthrough of the new search tool.
Health officials say the new resources are designed to make affordable healthcare easier to find for residents across Harris County, whether they need vaccinations, preventive care, dental services or mental health support.