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WEATHER ALERT

5 warnings in effect for 4 counties in the area

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION


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Did Texas lawmakers do enough for children with disabilities? These child care advocates say no.

Read full article: Did Texas lawmakers do enough for children with disabilities? These child care advocates say no.

Lawmakers added $100 million to a child care scholarship program but failed to expand access to free preschool for children with disabilities.

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Meals On Wheels waiting lists grow as Texas braces for federal funding cuts

Read full article: Meals On Wheels waiting lists grow as Texas braces for federal funding cuts

State chapters of the nonprofit group that provide meals to seniors are waiting to hear from Washington how much of a hit their battered budgets will take.

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Early Texas hospital data shows millions spent in care for non-U.S. citizens

Read full article: Early Texas hospital data shows millions spent in care for non-U.S. citizens

A state employee testified Monday that tens of thousands of people in the U.S. unlawfully were treated, but it was unclear how long the data had been collected.

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Obstacles slow Texas’ effort to improve conditions at substance abuse recovery homes

Read full article: Obstacles slow Texas’ effort to improve conditions at substance abuse recovery homes

A new law was meant to uphold standards at homes where substance abusers are trying to rebuild their lives. But compliance is proving difficult.

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Measles outbreak in West Texas worsens

Read full article: Measles outbreak in West Texas worsens

Most of the infections have shown up in Gaines County. Texas health officials have consistently said that vaccination is the best way for people to avoid the highly contagious airborne disease.

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Two more state employees fired after accessing Texans’ private information

Read full article: Two more state employees fired after accessing Texans’ private information

So far, nine HHSC employees have been fired for accessing without a “business” purpose the private information of Texans seeking public assistance that includes Medicaid and food stamps.

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State employees suspected of stealing from low-income Texans' public assistance accounts

Read full article: State employees suspected of stealing from low-income Texans' public assistance accounts

Seven human services employees were fired after a string of fraud and theft — and the largest data breach in agency history.

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Texas school districts asked to return $16 million in federal funding for special education services

Read full article: Texas school districts asked to return $16 million in federal funding for special education services

The request comes after an audit found Texas improperly billed the federal government for reimbursements related to Medicaid-eligible students.

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State agency to ask lawmakers for $300 million to fix “significant neglect” in Texas’ Medicaid enrollment system

Read full article: State agency to ask lawmakers for $300 million to fix “significant neglect” in Texas’ Medicaid enrollment system

The request, which includes hiring more staff and updating the online application system, comes as applicants must wait for months to receive approval for benefits.

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5th Circuit Court orders federal judge removed from Texas foster care lawsuit

Read full article: 5th Circuit Court orders federal judge removed from Texas foster care lawsuit

U.S. District Judge Janis Jack, the state’s de facto foster care czar, has been overseeing the case since 2011.

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Even as state mental health spending rises, private psychiatric hospitals struggle to stay open

Read full article: Even as state mental health spending rises, private psychiatric hospitals struggle to stay open

Texas hasn’t increased Medicaid rates for inpatient health care at private hospitals in 16 years, falling behind other states.

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Maternal deaths surged in Texas in 2020, 2021

Read full article: Maternal deaths surged in Texas in 2020, 2021

Even excluding deaths related to COVID, Texas’ maternal mortality rate spiked, reversing two years of improvement.

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Families and advocates for disabled Texans pushing for caregiver pay raise

Read full article: Families and advocates for disabled Texans pushing for caregiver pay raise

A state Medicaid program pays caregivers of intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals living in community-based homes. Families, advocates and providers want lawmakers to increase that hourly pay.

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Appeals court to weigh reimposing fines for Texas foster care failures, removing judge on case

Read full article: Appeals court to weigh reimposing fines for Texas foster care failures, removing judge on case

Texas Health and Human Services could face $100,000-per-day fines for violating a judge's orders. The state wants the judge off the case.

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State’s move to bump federal judge from longtime foster care lawsuit caps years of battles

Read full article: State’s move to bump federal judge from longtime foster care lawsuit caps years of battles

A federal judge has taken the Texas’ foster care system to task for 13 years. Reforms have been made. Now armed with private legal fire power, the state wants the judge off the case.

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Fight over trans medical care is at the core of leaked Houston health records case

Read full article: Fight over trans medical care is at the core of leaked Houston health records case

A doctor says the government wants to punish him for calling attention to wrongdoing. Advocates say the families of trans kids are the ones at risk.

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Cook Children’s sues Texas over potential Medicaid contract loss

Read full article: Cook Children’s sues Texas over potential Medicaid contract loss

For years, Cook’s Children, two other children’s hospitals have administered Medicaid health coverage plans. Canceling their contracts would put jobs and coverage at risk, they say.

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State rejects health insurers' pleas to halt plan that will shake up coverage for 1.8 million Texans

Read full article: State rejects health insurers' pleas to halt plan that will shake up coverage for 1.8 million Texans

Affected Texans who receive Medicaid coverage would be shifted to new insurers next year if the state health and human services agency sticks to its plan. It’s now up to the executive commissioner to make a final decision.

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“Grateful to be alive”: Clubhouse programs take pressure off overwhelmed Texas mental health hospitals

Read full article: “Grateful to be alive”: Clubhouse programs take pressure off overwhelmed Texas mental health hospitals

Thousands of people are discharged from Texas mental health hospitals yearly, and so-called step-down programs like clubhouses can help them integrate back into the community.

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Texas revamps Narcan distribution following delays, unpredictable supply

Read full article: Texas revamps Narcan distribution following delays, unpredictable supply

Texas has tapped more than $45 million in federal funds to get the overdose-reversing drug into the hands of law enforcement, members of the public. But the program has been plagued by supply issues, delays and lack of communication.

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State’s premature release of bid proposal info touches off new battle over $116 billion in Medicaid contracts

Read full article: State’s premature release of bid proposal info touches off new battle over $116 billion in Medicaid contracts

The early release of documents meant a single competitor got an early look at the other bidders’ playbooks before final winners were announced.

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Years ago, Texas hustled to get kids on state health care. Now it’s kicking them off.

Read full article: Years ago, Texas hustled to get kids on state health care. Now it’s kicking them off.

Texas’ recent unwinding of Medicaid and CHIP has been criticized, dropping more than a million people eligible for the health insurance programs. Decades ago, Texas officials got kids health insurance in record time.

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A woman’s fight to escape the hospital shows Medicaid’s limits for disabled Texans

Read full article: A woman’s fight to escape the hospital shows Medicaid’s limits for disabled Texans

Staffing shortages and mismanaged care can delay when Texans on some Medicaid programs are discharged from hospitals. This can cost the state more and take a toll on patients and caregivers.

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Texas passes on $450 million summer lunch program for low-income families

Read full article: Texas passes on $450 million summer lunch program for low-income families

The USDA estimates the families of 3.8 million children could have received $120 per child to cover summer lunches if the state participated in the new $2.5 billion program launching this summer. Texas is one of 15 states opting out.

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Nearly 1.7 million Texans lose Medicaid as state nears end of “unwinding”

Read full article: Nearly 1.7 million Texans lose Medicaid as state nears end of “unwinding”

Texas has booted the most people from Medicaid of any state in the country. A majority of those removed lost their health insurance coverage because of procedural reasons.

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“The first child is the one that pays the most”: How one family carved out Medicaid coverage for a rare treatment

Read full article: “The first child is the one that pays the most”: How one family carved out Medicaid coverage for a rare treatment

Gabe Nolasco was born without a vital immune system gland. His family spent years in quarantines and advocating to state insurance so they could keep him alive.

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“How long can we keep this up?” Food banks are under pressure from Texas’ high level of food insecurity

Read full article: “How long can we keep this up?” Food banks are under pressure from Texas’ high level of food insecurity

Inflation, stagnant federal funding for food programs and high housing costs mean that demand at food banks still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels.

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Nonprofit drug treatment center for low-income Texas teens shutters amid opioid crisis

Read full article: Nonprofit drug treatment center for low-income Texas teens shutters amid opioid crisis

Phoenix House is the latest casualty in an escalating funding crisis for Texas treatment centers as the state struggles with startling increases in overdose deaths, particularly among young people.

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Confusion and stress abound for 500,000 Texans bumped from Medicaid

Read full article: Confusion and stress abound for 500,000 Texans bumped from Medicaid

Continuous Medicaid coverage ended in April. Many of the roughly half-million people stripped from the rolls don’t even know they’ve lost coverage yet.

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500,000 Texans have been dropped from the Medicaid rolls since April

Read full article: 500,000 Texans have been dropped from the Medicaid rolls since April

Advocates are calling for a halt to removals until the state can account for why more than 80% of the people who lost Medicaid coverage were eliminated for “procedural” reasons, like not responding to messages from the state.

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Judge admonishes Texas foster care officials, saying they don’t properly monitor facilities housing kids

Read full article: Judge admonishes Texas foster care officials, saying they don’t properly monitor facilities housing kids

A U.S. district judge has long presided over a court case that found Texas’ foster care system unconstitutionally harms kids. Tuesday’s hearing was the first appearance by the state’s new team of defense attorneys.

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At session’s end, Houston language access advocates clung to one last hope that their voices had been heard

Read full article: At session’s end, Houston language access advocates clung to one last hope that their voices had been heard

Their dream of passing a bill to improve access to state services for Texans who don’t speak English or Spanish was dashed. Woori Juntos activists fought until the end seeking at least a study of their ideas.

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When it comes to upping mental health services, Texas has a Medicaid problem

Read full article: 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.

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After months of struggle, Korean language access advocates find their voice at a legislative hearing

Read full article: After months of struggle, Korean language access advocates find their voice at a legislative hearing

In a key step on their quest to make state services more easily available to non-English speakers, advocates from Houston’s Woori Juntos community group testified before a panel of lawmakers.

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Pandemic Medicaid coverage is ending. Here’s what that means for people using Medicaid health benefits.

Read full article: Pandemic Medicaid coverage is ending. Here’s what that means for people using Medicaid health benefits.

Texas is reviewing the eligibility of people on Medicaid health plans or Healthy Texas Women now that pandemic Medicaid coverage is ending. Here’s what that means, how to renew your health coverage or find other options if you no longer qualify.

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Houston language advocates race to keep their one small request from disappearing in Capitol bedlam

Read full article: Houston language advocates race to keep their one small request from disappearing in Capitol bedlam

Woori Juntos began the legislative session hoping to win over a majority of legislators to their cause — making it easier for Texans who speak no or limited English to communicate with state agencies and access crucial services. First, they needed a lawmaker to file their bill.

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Workforce shortages in the state psychiatric hospital system prolong jail time for mentally ill Texans

Read full article: 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.

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Texas’ shortage of mental health care professionals is getting worse

Read full article: Texas’ shortage of mental health care professionals is getting worse

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already short supply of therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers.

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Jennifer Shuford named commissioner of Texas public health agency

Read full article: Jennifer Shuford named commissioner of Texas public health agency

The infectious disease doctor has been at the helm of the department in an interim capacity since the fall, replacing longtime commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt following his retirement.

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State leaders won’t commit to specifics about how much they might invest in children’s mental health

Read full article: State leaders won’t commit to specifics about how much they might invest in children’s mental health

As public debate intensifies over how the state will divvy up billions in new money, community groups that treat children for mental illness fear they’re not a priority.

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State agencies push for better worker pay as critical staffing crunch hits Texas government

Read full article: State agencies push for better worker pay as critical staffing crunch hits Texas government

Texas agencies say they are being hammered by a historic staffing crisis, particularly when it comes to those in the trenches serving the state’s most vulnerable populations.

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Top Texas health official who led response to coronavirus pandemic is retiring

Read full article: Top Texas health official who led response to coronavirus pandemic is retiring

Dr. John Hellerstedt, who has led the Texas Department of State Health Services since 2016, will retire at the end of the month. Dr. Jennifer Shuford, the chief state epidemiologist, has been named his interim replacement.

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Texas was building a program to find troubled students and prevent school shootings. It hadn’t reached Uvalde yet.

Read full article: Texas was building a program to find troubled students and prevent school shootings. It hadn’t reached Uvalde yet.

Created in 2019, the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium identifies distressed students and refers them to mental health services.

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Baby formula shortage is making low-income mothers struggle to pay for a product usually covered by the state

Read full article: Baby formula shortage is making low-income mothers struggle to pay for a product usually covered by the state

The state’s poorest mothers are paying hundreds of dollars out of pocket when they find baby formula because they say they can’t risk waiting for the exact brand and size container covered by Texas’ Women, Infant and Children program.

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Texas children and children’s hospitals are under siege from two viruses: RSV and COVID-19

Read full article: Texas children and children’s hospitals are under siege from two viruses: RSV and COVID-19

More children are being treated in Texas hospitals for COVID-19 than ever before, and an unseasonable outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus is adding to the stress on children’s hospitals.

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Biden administration threatens to sue after Texas officials say they’ll yank licenses from facilities housing unaccompanied migrant children

Read full article: Biden administration threatens to sue after Texas officials say they’ll yank licenses from facilities housing unaccompanied migrant children

A federal attorney claims an order from Gov. Greg Abbott violates the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause and said legal action could follow if the state carries through with plans to pull licenses from the federally contracted facilities.

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Texas officials knew foster children were illegally placed in an unsafe shelter. It didn't end until a whistleblower came forward.

Read full article: Texas officials knew foster children were illegally placed in an unsafe shelter. It didn't end until a whistleblower came forward.

State officials knew children were being illegally housed in an unlicensed facility but did not notify the court, despite a mandate from a federal court judge that came as part of a decade-long class action lawsuit against the state on the behalf of foster children.

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