Medical professionals filled the room at New Horizon Health Center Wednesday in Brownsville.

The professionals attended a panel seeking to start the conversation about how to improve health care access to the uninsured in Cameron County.

“The rates of uninsurance and the high levels of poverty and unmet needs that are in the lower Rio Grande Valley — we just thought it was really important for Senator LaMantia to come out and see who we are,” New Horizon Healthcare CEO Jason Wallace said.

Texas State Senator Morgan LaMantia was part of the panel, and said she has projects that are top priority for Cameron County, which includes mental health.

“We are in a mental health desert, we are seeing the need for mental health care more and more — not just in adults, but in children and in new mothers as well,” LaMantia said. “If we really want to have those strong South Texas families that will grow up to be our next generation of leaders, we need to have mental health services that our community deserves."

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, around 30% of people in Cameron County are not insured. Wallace says his clinic is working to fill the gaps

Senator LaMantia says she will take the concerns of her constituents back to Austin to advocate for change.

Watch the video above for the full story.