News topic
Behavioral health policy & research
Federal and state policy, parity enforcement, and peer-reviewed research relevant to Texas behavioral health.
25 articles · Page 1 of 2
- KFF Health News – Mental HealthAug 6, 2026
Medicaid Work Rule Leaves Homeless People in the Cold
Conservatives who have long pushed for Medicaid work requirements often said vulnerable people would get a pass. But the federal government’s list of exemptions left off homeless people.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthAug 5, 2026
Baltimore Is Rethinking What It Means To Call 911 — And Who Responds
The city wants to stop health crises before they happen and is creating a new service to do that when people call 911.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJul 21, 2026
Leadership Vacuum: Agencies in New York and Beyond Pass the Buck on Opioid Cash Oversight
The opioid settlements are a multibillion-dollar windfall with only loose spending suggestions rather than strict requirements. Some people directly affected by the crisis want stronger guardrails. But New York state’s experience highlights the challenge in finding a fiscal watchdog.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJul 20, 2026
Violence Repeatedly Erupts at Dementia Care Facilities Despite Warnings, Inspections Show
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities can be fertile ground for violence between residents with dementia, including fatal assaults. A KFF Health News examination of health reports and court records shows how warning signs are missed and safeguards fall short.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJul 16, 2026
Readers Share Personal Insights on Deadly Denials and Pregnancy Centers
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJul 9, 2026
My Search for a Psychiatric Bed in an Overburdened Health System
Over the past 70 years, the number of inpatient psychiatric beds has dropped dramatically, leaving many without critical care when they experience mental health crises. I was one of the lucky ones to get a bed — after 21 hours of waiting.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJul 2, 2026
HealthQ Special: Caregiving in the Sandwich Generation
Join the conversation as the HealthQ team explores the messiness, humor, and satisfaction that comes with caregiving when you’re sandwiched between aging parents and growing kids.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJul 1, 2026
Newsom Vowed To Transform Kids’ Mental Health. Many California Schools Are Still Waiting.
Gov. Gavin Newsom launched an ambitious initiative to make public schools the epicenter of mental health services for young people. Five years after he promised transformation, many schools have struggled to get the program up and running, and hundreds more have yet to try.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJun 25, 2026
Opioid Settlement Money Pays for Services To Battle Addiction in Rural Kentucky
A program in rural eastern Kentucky is receiving opioid settlement funding to address substance use disorders, housing, hunger, and other challenges.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJun 24, 2026
Even in Blue States, Hospitals Have Continued To Drop Gender-Affirming Care for Youths
Massachusetts passed laws and joined lawsuits to protect access to gender-affirming care for minors. But faced with the Trump administration’s threats, some hospitals voluntarily stopped care. Families are outraged.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJun 18, 2026
Arrests of Immigrant Parents Create Mental Health Crisis for Children
An estimated hundreds of thousands of children, many of them U.S. citizens, have been separated from a parent in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Their distress manifests in physical and mental health symptoms including developmental regression, stomachaches, sleep problems, and falling grades. Research points to long-term health consequences.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJun 18, 2026
Sandwiched Between Caring for Kids and Aging Parents? Reach Out for Resources
Squeezed between their young children and aging parents, the sandwich generation is juggling a lot. KFF Health News Midwest correspondent Cara Anthony discusses embracing her identity as a caregiver and which resources are available to Washington, D.C., residents caring for family members.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJun 17, 2026
More Americans Are Surviving Cancer. But the Mental Health Challenges Can Persist.
Amid advancements in treatment and screening, more Americans are surviving the disease. But many are left with psychological scars, such as lingering anxiety and depression.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJun 9, 2026
Could Your Kid Benefit From Counseling? Experts Offer 3 Questions To Help You Decide
Anxious kids can benefit from counseling, but therapy demands a commitment of money and time. Therapists recommend using three criteria to help determine when challenging behavior rises to the level of needing professional help.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJun 9, 2026
Trivia Nights, Valentine’s Cards: Overlooked Social Connections Can Prevent Suicide
The research is clear: Among the various complex issues that contribute to suicide, loneliness is a big one. Now, there’s a growing push to address loneliness not just through personal choices but also through public policy.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthJun 4, 2026
RFK Jr. Seeks To Peek at Americans’ Medical Records for Clues on Autism and Vaccines
To collect and scrutinize millions of Americans’ health data, U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. aims to work with state organizations that help health systems share medical records. In Nebraska, millions in federal dollars has flowed into one nonprofit cooperating with Kennedy’s project.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthMay 27, 2026
Readers Address Drugged Driving, Suicide Prevention, Worker Shortages
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthMay 20, 2026
Watch: The Tug-of-War Over Taxpayer Dollars
Podcast host Julie Rovner chats with Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a top Democrat on health issues, about President Donald Trump’s stewardship of federal spending and the effectiveness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthMay 18, 2026
Kids Keep Getting Stuck in Hospitals, Even After Being Cleared for Discharge
Some children are healthy enough to leave the hospital after a medical stay but have no place to go. Across the country, the practice of allowing children to remain hospitalized “beyond medical necessity” has become a costly problem, and states have struggled to address the issue.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗ - KFF Health News – Mental HealthMay 12, 2026
Low Wages, Empty Plates, Heavy Toll: Rethinking Suicide Prevention
Decades of research indicate that interventions that bring down people’s cost of living, such as ensuring they have access to stable housing and food, are linked to lower suicide rates.
Read on KFF Health News – Mental Health ↗