Texas parents see their own health spiral when kids’ mental illnesses worsen
The stress of locating and maintaining regular care for a mentally ill child can take a toll on their caretakers’ well-being. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a19e519da89c693f852271e6494792b6/0815 Masters KFF TT 03.JPG)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a19e519da89c693f852271e6494792b6/0815%20Masters%20KFF%20TT%2003.JPG)
-
![Brandon Masters at his home in San Antonio. Masters spent about $22,000 last year caring for his teenage son Braylon, who has bipolar disorder. When Masters developed a rash on the back of his arms and neck last year, his doctor told him it was connected to stress.]()
Credit: Lisa Krantz for KFF Health News -
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo takes leave of absence to treat depression
Hidalgo said she was diagnosed with the condition last month and aims to return to her post in September. More people across the country have been diagnosed with the condition since the COVID-19 pandemic. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/408c5449ca1fd2dd5c08f3a7984b56e7/NRA Convention Protest JR TT 58.jpg)
![Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo speaks on stage at a protest of the NRA Annual Meeting Friday, May 27, 2022, in Houston.]()
Credit: Justin Rex for The Texas Tribune -
As veteran disability claims soar, unaccredited coaches profit off frustration with VA system
Austin-based VA Claims Insider says it has helped hundreds of thousands of clients. It has also touched off complaints and investigations. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/7df8883e06d0ef935a764e4fa9786282/Jim Peckey VA Claims RE TT redo 01.jpg)
![Jim Peckey, a former U.S. Navy Yeoman, holds a plaque gifted to him from his time in the service, in Abilene on Feb. 13, 2023.]()
Credit: Ronald W. Erdrich for The Texas Tribune -
This year, Texas lawmakers zeroed in on existing health care programs, leaving bolder measures by the wayside
Pregnant moms on Medicaid will get health care coverage for a year, patients will get more detailed billing and nurses will get help with school loans. But efforts failed to gain steam for legalizing fentanyl test strips, increasing the pool of mental health professionals who accept Medicaid and expanding Medicaid benefits to more Texans. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f22bbbad98243ff3e235f4c345eb6059/Yoakum Child Care AM TT 23.jpg)
![Learning Tree owner Christa Marek holds her granddaughter at the Learning Tree childcare center in Yoakum, on Sept. 13, 2022.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Unlicensed religious chaplains may counsel students in Texas’ public schools after lawmakers OK proposal
Opponents fear the bill is a “Trojan horse” for evangelizing kids and will worsen the state’s mental health crisis through disproven counseling approaches. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/cb955569b01ba78b0956ba9d5542b2c1/11 Tenaha Sex Ed ST 08.JPG)
![Students walk to class in between class periods at Tenaha High School in Tenaha, TX photographed on November 11, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Listen: Through art, keepsakes and advocacy, families are making sure 21 Uvalde victims are not forgotten
Wednesday marks exactly a year since a mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde. The community continues to grapple with the trauma and pain, and for those who lost someone that day, they’re determined to keep the memories of their loved ones alive. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/dd4f3fe71793d8464a6ef36c3265b1ca/0523 The Brief Uvalde EL TT 03.jpg)
![Javier Cazares assembles his notes for his testimony as a poster of his daughter, Jackie, and other victims of the Robb Elementary school shooting stand against the wall beside him. Cazares and other family members wait for the Community Safety Committee to reconvene about bills relating to gun reform, at the state Capitol in Austin on April 18, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas just closed a critical gun background check loophole
State lawmakers passed a bill requiring courts to report involuntary mental health hospitalizations of juveniles for inclusion in the federal gun background check system. The law closes a gap revealed by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune in 2022. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3ba1122929607aa49da8a948955d81b9/Sunset TCEQ MM TT 26.jpg)
![A view of the Texas Capitol from the the Capitol extension building on June 22, 2022.]()
Credit: Montinique Monroe for The Texas Tribune -
Texas schools say it’s time to stop tying mental health funding to school safety money
Federal pandemic aid helped build public school mental health services in Texas. School officials now brace for the expiration of those funds next year. They’re urging lawmakers to create a dedicated funding stream for mental health assistance in schools. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a367e9cd06b6b722a2b63e1b1fd3c316/11 Buffalo ISD MS TT.jpg)
![High school students between classes in the hallway at the high school in Buffalo on March 28, 2019.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Greg Abbott says to stop mass shootings, Texas must improve mental health care. A $25 billion investment hasn’t been enough.
Texas still lags nationally when it comes to mental health services and there have been seven mass shootings since Abbott took office in 2015. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/6ce36460fb5bed561144c3b98052cf10/Abbott Uvalde Presser EL TT 14.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a presser at Uvalde High School on May 27, 2022.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune -
When it comes to upping mental health services, Texas has a Medicaid problem
Texas wants to expand mental health services, but many mental health providers do not accept Medicaid because of its lower payment rate. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/03/01/untitled-006-2.jpg)
![Demonstrators participate in a mental health rally at the Texas Capitol, organized by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, on Feb. 28, 2013.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Proposed ban on corporal punishment in Texas schools fails again
Texas public schools can allow corporal punishment, which includes hitting, spanking, paddling or deliberately inflicting physical pain to discipline students. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/88cf3b79040c13b8f7c3cbb7e6d069fe/House Budget Day JV TT 30.jpg)
![Lawmakers on the House floor at the state Capitol on April 6, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
For migrant children who cross the border alone, a new set of challenges getting health care awaits
A report from the Migration Policy Institute and the American Academy of Pediatrics details the barriers undocumented children face in the United States. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/112ad6e74b362bdff9aacf86185f5c7b/Migrant Children JG TT 01.jpg)
![Migrant children in the courtyard of the Our Lady-Guadalupe Catholic Church School in Mission on July 27, 2021.]()
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune -
A divided Uvalde hasn’t had time to heal, speakers say
During a Texas Tribune event marking one year since the shooting at Robb Elementary School, parents, mental health experts and faith leaders talked about how the path to recovery isn’t the same for everybody. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/331f4e76079283177f0b28210362a402/0520 TT Uvalde Event CS TT 35.jpg)
![Texas Tribune reporter Uriel J. García speaks with Kimberly Mata-Rubio and Veronica Mata at a community event titled "Uvalde: Resilience, Recovery and Healing" at the Southwest Texas Junior College on May 20th, 2023 in Uvalde.]()
Credit: Chris Stokes for The Texas Tribune -
Texas kids would need parental consent to create social media accounts under House bill
The House gave initial approval to the bill Tuesday. The legislation is a priority for Speaker Dade Phelan. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ba665750cabd2f215278ec04c91f8f71/Phan - Remote Learning JV TT 11.jpg)
![Sophomore Alexis Phan does her Algebra 2 homework remotely from her home in Pflugerville on Nov. 16, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Senate approves $15 million bill to expand local mental health treatment options for children and families
The proposal would offer hospitals and nonprofits grant funding to expand child and family mental health services. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9877dec57f9467cffe4d6f6cab2e9a55/Lege File March 2 JV TT 34.jpg)
![State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, speaks to her colleagues in honor of Texas Independence Day on the Senate floor on March 2, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House passes bill barring the death penalty for some mentally ill defendants
The chamber has repeatedly passed legislation in recent sessions eliminating the death penalty in cases of severe mental illness, but this year the measure faced increased pushback from conservative lawmakers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/cfaaee317cdac2ee22fcd5b617bbb11d/Texas_Death_Row_Illustration.jpg)
![Interior of Death Chamber by Texas Department of Criminal Justice.]()
Credit: Photo Illustration by Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Watch a conversation about school safety and the mass shooting in Uvalde
In this conversation moderated by Texas Tribune editor in chief Sewell Chan, panelists discussed lessons that must be learned after 19 children and two adults were fatally shot at Robb Elementary School. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1eaf6ee2d00042623b6b59f76ce49627/03-23_SaferSchools_Titlecard-01-v1.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Workforce shortages in the state psychiatric hospital system prolong jail time for mentally ill Texans
The state has added more beds for jail inmates who need psychiatric treatment to be considered competent to face trial. But at least a third remain empty because the state can’t hire enough people to staff them. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/04/29/IMG_5042.jpg)
![The Austin State Hospital is shown on April 29, 2016. Despite an infusion of funding from lawmakers for the state’s mental health care system, Texas struggles to provide psychiatric care for all patients who need it.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber/The Texas Tribune -
Texas executes Arthur Brown Jr. for Houston slayings despite claims of innocence, intellectual disability
Brown’s appeals ran out after almost 30 years on death row. Defense attorneys claim Harris County prosecutors hid evidence pointing to another suspect in the 1992 shooting deaths of four people in a Houston drug house. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/50994b8bdf3522dbe584ad76f7794b40/02 Death Chamber TDCJ GR TT.jpg)
![Interior of Death Chamber]()
Credit: Jenevieve Robbins/Texas Department of Criminal Justice -
Closing a critical loophole for gun background checks has gained bipartisan support in Texas
After a ProPublica-Texas Tribune investigation found courts failed to report juvenile mental health hospitalizations to the federal firearm background check system, lawmakers from both parties are backing bills to ensure compliance with the law. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9cdff2b26b93b10b90a9b3ad8bd675f9/20230308 mental health impact tt.jpg)
![The state Capitol in Austin on Feb. 9, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/408c5449ca1fd2dd5c08f3a7984b56e7/NRA%20Convention%20Protest%20JR%20TT%2058.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/7df8883e06d0ef935a764e4fa9786282/Jim%20Peckey%20VA%20Claims%20RE%20TT%20redo%2001.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f22bbbad98243ff3e235f4c345eb6059/Yoakum%20Child%20Care%20AM%20TT%2023.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/cb955569b01ba78b0956ba9d5542b2c1/11%20Tenaha%20Sex%20Ed%20ST%2008.JPG)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/dd4f3fe71793d8464a6ef36c3265b1ca/0523%20The%20Brief%20Uvalde%20EL%20TT%2003.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3ba1122929607aa49da8a948955d81b9/Sunset%20TCEQ%20MM%20TT%2026.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a367e9cd06b6b722a2b63e1b1fd3c316/11%20Buffalo%20ISD%20MS%20TT.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/6ce36460fb5bed561144c3b98052cf10/Abbott%20Uvalde%20Presser%20EL%20TT%2014.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/88cf3b79040c13b8f7c3cbb7e6d069fe/House%20Budget%20Day%20JV%20TT%2030.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/112ad6e74b362bdff9aacf86185f5c7b/Migrant%20Children%20JG%20TT%2001.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/331f4e76079283177f0b28210362a402/0520%20TT%20Uvalde%20Event%20CS%20TT%2035.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ba665750cabd2f215278ec04c91f8f71/Phan%20-%20Remote%20Learning%20JV%20TT%2011.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9877dec57f9467cffe4d6f6cab2e9a55/Lege%20File%20March%202%20JV%20TT%2034.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/50994b8bdf3522dbe584ad76f7794b40/02%20Death%20Chamber%20TDCJ%20GR%20TT.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9cdff2b26b93b10b90a9b3ad8bd675f9/20230308%20mental%20health%20impact%20tt.jpg)