Texas Health Resources has been selected as one of 20 teams in the nation to participate in the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Hospital Community Collaborative. The national collaborative aims to provide proven insights and resources to create effective collaborations between hospitals and community organizations with the mission of advancing health equity. Texas Health’s team, including … Read more
Governor Greg Abbott today announced the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is providing $128 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to rural hospitals and nursing facilities to support health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds for the grant programs were authorized as part of Senate Bill 8 during the Third … Read more
On Dec. 3, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) published its 2022-2023 Strategic Plan for the Aging Texas Well (ATW) initiative. The plan is meant to serve as a guide for HHSC and other state agencies to support strategic planning to serve the approximately 9,245,560 adults aged 50 and older in Texas. … Read more
According to Joan Alker, executive director and co-founder of Georgetown’s Center for Children and Families, the Biden administration’s Build Back Better legislation presents a promising opportunity to help insure Texans who fall into the Medicaid coverage gap. A specific provision in the Build Back Better Act would temporarily close the coverage gap for … Read more
Every Texan (formerly the Center for Public Policy Priorities) yesterday released its legislative wrap-up report of the 2021 third special session that concluded in October. The report highlights Every Texan’s stance on key legislation brought up in the special session, as well as an overview of how the bills passed in the session align with … Read more
Nearly one-in-five Texans is experiencing an episode of mental illness, and for those in the Dallas- Fort Worth area more help is on the way. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission and UT Southwestern Medical Center is building the first state psychiatric hospital in the Metroplex. It’s the largest urban area in the state … Read more
Following a nationwide search, the Texas Hospital Association has selected longtime advocacy veteran John Hawkins to lead the organization, replacing Ted Shaw who retires at the end of the year. On Jan. 1, Hawkins will become the association’s president and chief executive officer. THA is the largest voice for Texas hospitals, representing more than 600 … Read more
Governor Greg Abbott today signed Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) into law, allocating the nearly $16 billion federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding awarded to the State of Texas earlier this year. SB 8 allocated critical funding for various state resources and programs, including: $7.2 billion to the Unemployment Compensation Fund to pay back … Read more
At the Aging Texas Well Advisory Committee (ATWAC) meeting on Wednesday, health and wellness coordinator for Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Services at the Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG) Antonio Martinez, Jr., gave a special topic presentation about the recently implemented “Support & Empowerment Program for Older Adults with IDD & their Caregivers.” … Read more
Behavioral health services in Texas, particularly for young people, have tremendously struggled to keep up with demand since long before the pandemic, according to Dr. Christopher Taylor, founder of Taylor Counseling Group. He says the origin of this mental health crisis for youth and young adults can be traced back to about 2009. “We … … Read more