Latest news with #TexasHealthandHumanServicesCommission
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Does your insurance cover flooding? How to file a claim after devastating Texas floods
As of Monday, officials report that at least 81 people have lost their lives due to the flash floods that swept through Central Texas. Among the victims are at least 28 children from Kerr County. With people still unaccounted for, Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned that flash flooding remains a serious threat across parts of Texas, as additional rainfall is expected in several regions Monday. Authorities have urged residents of Hunt, a community in Kerr County, to seek higher ground this afternoon due to the risk of further flooding. On Sunday, President Trump announced that he signed a "Major Disaster Declaration' for relief for Kerr County in Texas, as the region deals with heavy rains and extreme flooding that have killed dozens. As residents come to terms with the aftermath of the flooding, here's what to know about relief and insurance claims: In response to the devastating floods that struck Central Texas over the Fourth of July weekend, various relief options are available to assist affected individuals and communities. Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC): HHSC coordinates efforts to provide information and help to Texans during disasters. This includes assistance with food benefits (such as SNAP), health care services, and housing support. More information is available at HHSC Disaster Assistance. Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM): TDEM supports plans and programs to help prevent or lessen the impact of emergencies and disasters. They provide assistance to individuals, communities, and businesses affected by disasters. More information can be found at Texas Flood Recovery. Kerr County Flood Relief Fund: Operated by The Community Foundation, this fund supports local rescue and recovery efforts in affected towns like Hunt, Ingram, Kerrville, Center Point, and Comfort. Central Texas Small Business Relief Fund: Launched by the Maestro Entrepreneur Center, this fund supports businesses affected by recent flooding in the Hill Country area. It aims to assist with urgent repairs, replacement of damaged equipment and supplies, and day-to-day operational expenses necessary for reopening. Texas Flood Information Clearinghouse: State agencies administer flood financial assistance programs, providing a "one-stop-shop" for information on flood mitigation funding opportunities for Texas' communities. Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA): Provides disaster relief resources for individuals and families, including housing assistance and information on available programs. If you have flood insurance — either through your home insurance provider or the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) — it's crucial to file a claim promptly. Typically, claims must be submitted within 60 days of the flooding event. If you're having trouble contacting your insurer, the Texas Department of Insurance recommends calling 1-800-252-3439 for help. Even without insurance, you may still be eligible for federal disaster assistance. All impacted residents are urged to thoroughly document their property damage using photos and videos. While it's important to begin cleanup, the state recommends holding off on discarding damaged items until you've consulted with your insurance adjuster. It's also important to note that FEMA aid is generally only available in areas formally designated as disaster zones by the president. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the Texas Hill Country, including areas like Kerrville and San Antonio, due to ongoing heavy rainfall. Forecasts predict additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to 10 inches. This excessive rainfall poses a risk of flash flooding in low-lying regions, rivers, creeks, and low water crossings. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Does your insurance cover Texas flooding? How to file a claim
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Panhandle's First State Psychiatric Hospital Breaks Ground
Governor Greg Abbott announced that construction is officially underway on a new state-of-the-art mental health hospital, a modern psychiatric facility in North Texas. The $159 million project in Amarillo will bring much-needed inpatient mental health services to the 26-county Panhandle area for the first time in state history. The 75-bed hospital, funded by the Texas Legislature and spearheaded by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), is expected to be finished in 2027. At 164,475 square feet, it is designed to meet modern standards in psychiatric care and will be able to serve adults requiring severe inpatient treatment for psychiatric problems and other ailments. 'Texas is delivering on its promise to expand healthcare to rural communities across our great state,' Abbott said in a June 10 press release announcing the groundbreaking. 'This Panhandle State Hospital – the first state-operated facility in the region – will provide Texans greater access to mental health professionals and high-quality care close to home. I thank the Texas Legislature and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for their work to increase access to mental healthcare for Texans in every corner of our state,' the governor added. The new facility will include 'communal activity spaces' and outdoor courtyards to promote recovery and social engagement for psychiatric patients. According to Abbott's office, the hospital's modern design is part of a broader strategy to integrate new evidence-based practices and layouts into mental health facilities. Cecile Erwin Young, HHSC's executive commissioner, talked about the importance of providing quality care to certain previously underserved communities across Texas. 'Texans are better served when they have access to healthcare closer to home, and that is why state leaders and HHSC have invested in facilities like the Panhandle State Hospital,' Young said. The Amarillo construction project is part of a sweeping overhaul of the state's mental health infrastructure. Since 2017, the Abbott administration and Texas lawmakers have allocated over $2.5 billion to modernize and expand the state's psychiatric care system, including renovating, replacing, or constructing hospitals across the state. The HHSC currently oversees nine different hospitals and one inpatient youth treatment center. These facilities provide 24/7 care for residents struggling with severe mental illness, including those found incompetent to stand trial in the legal system, or deemed a danger to themselves or others. With rural healthcare access a growing concern across the state, as previously reported on by The Dallas Express, the new hospital will be a big milestone in addressing mental health disparities across Texas. HHSC's official webpage has construction renderings of the new facility and updates on the project's progress. 'When completed, this hospital will offer hope and healing to some of the most vulnerable people in the Panhandle,' Young added.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Texas to expand psychedelic research with $50M ibogaine investment
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is holding a bill signing ceremony Tuesday for legislation that invests $50 million into clinical research of ibogaine — a naturally occurring psychedelic substance that could treat post-traumatic stress disorder, opioid use disorder and other mental health conditions. For years, veterans and others suffering from PTSD have sought ibogaine treatment in Mexico, where the substance is not heavily regulated. In the United States, ibogaine is classified as a Schedule 1 drug, the most restrictive drug category. Other drugs classified under Schedule 1 include psilocybin, LSD and heroin. According to the legislative summary of SB 2308, the implications for those with opioid use disorder are lifechanging; a single administration of ibogaine in a controlled setting has been shown to stop withdrawal symptoms and reduce drug cravings long-term. RELATED: Lawmakers hope to expand medical marijuana program as state bans intoxicating hemp products 'Preliminary reports also suggest benefits in cognitive function, mood regulation, and sleep among individuals with [traumatic brain injury] and PTSD—conditions prevalent among U.S. veterans,' the bill text read. The new legislation will create a program within the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to support Texas-based trials of ibogaine through the FDA. Ibogaine is not currently FDA-approved due to its Schedule 1 classification. SB 2308 will fund research through gifts, grants or donations and will require equal matching funds by the recipients, which will include Texas medical facilities 'equipped for cardiac-intensive monitoring' by a supervising physician, among other qualifications. 'By advancing ibogaine research, Texas has the opportunity to lead in neuroscience innovation, address urgent veteran health needs, and shape the future of mental health treatment nationwide,' the bill text reads. While legislation aimed at easing access to ibogaine moves forward, separate legislation to restrict access to another plant has also progressed. Texas lawmakers sent a bill banning non-medical THC products to Abbott for approval late last month. Still, Texas in recent years has become more open-minded to the use of psychedelic substances in treating mental health conditions. 'There's definitely been a shift in the openness and the receptivity of the field to this type of research,' said Greg Fonzo, Ph.D., co-director of the McGill Center for Psychedelic Research & Therapy at Dell Medical School. 'People who do undergo this treatment process, some of them respond well and have a benefit in terms of symptom reductions and feeling better,' Fonzo told KXAN earlier this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Amarillo breaks ground on psychiatric hospital, part of the state's $1.5B investment in mental health
LUBBOCK — State officials broke ground Tuesday at the site of the future psychiatric hospital in Amarillo, bringing the Panhandle one step closer to inpatient mental health care. The hospital is the long-awaited result after the Texas Legislature in 2023 approved $159 million to build an inpatient psychiatric hospital in Amarillo. Mental health advocates in the area say it is desperately needed to bring mental health resources closer to the largely rural region that's home to nearly 436,000 people. Now, as construction begins, local mental health officials are relieved there will finally be a safe haven in reach for the Panhandle. 'It's a big deal to get this hospital here,' said Potter County Judge Nancy Tanner. 'Hopefully, this will benefit our whole community as soon as it opens.' The hospital in Amarillo is one of seven new state psychiatric hospital projects by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Lawmakers approved spending $1.5 billion in 2023 for the projects, including a psychiatric hospital being built in Lubbock, about 120 miles south of Amarillo. Until these hospitals open, the nearest psychiatric hospital for most people in the region is Wichita Falls, more than 200 miles away from either Amarillo or Lubbock. Once the projects are complete, the two most populated cities in the High Plains — the region that stretches from Lubbock to the tip of the Panhandle — will each have a hospital. In a news release, Gov. Greg Abbott said the hospital — the first of its kind in the region — will provide Texans greater access to mental health professionals and quality care. 'Texas is delivering on its promise to expand healthcare to rural communities across our great state,' Abbott said. The hospital will have 75 beds for patients. Fifty beds will be saved for people in the criminal justice system who have mental health disorders, including those who may be deemed unfit to stand trial. The new hospital will be in Amarillo's medical district. It will be located at the former Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. The city, Texas A&M University System, and the state health agency worked together to find the location. The state is leasing the land for $1 a year. 'The land lease is an example of how state agencies can and should work together for the good of citizens,' said West Texas A&M President Walter Wendler during a news conference last year. There are local outpatient resources available in Amarillo, a city of more than 200,000 people. However, inpatient care is essentially nonexistent. Dan Thompson with the Texas Panhandle Centers, the local mental health authority for the 21 upper counties, said it will be helpful for residents, law enforcement, and mental health organizations to have a facility nearby. 'A lot of folks in the Panhandle see that there is a need for people to get treatment and the help they need,' Thompson said. 'To have something like this in our community is going to be very beneficial.' The hospital, which will include common areas and outdoor courtyards for patients, will be operated by the state. The Health and Human Services agency owns and operates nine state hospitals around Texas and one residential youth treatment center. Cecile Erwin Young, executive commissioner for Health and Human Services, said Texans are better served when they can get treatment close to home. 'When completed, this hospital will offer hope and healing to some of the most vulnerable people in the Panhandle,' Young said. Construction for the hospital is expected to finish in 2027. Disclosure: Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University System have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Big news: 20 more speakers join the TribFest lineup! New additions include Margaret Spellings, former U.S. secretary of education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Michael Curry, former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church; Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative, D-El Paso; Joe Lonsdale, entrepreneur, founder and managing partner at 8VC; and Katie Phang, journalist and trial lawyer. Get tickets. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas will begin a summer lunch program in 2027, but only if feds don't raise costs
A new food program that would give low income families $120 per child to help feed them during the summer months could be coming to Texas in 2027. Texas has never participated in the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (Summer EBT) program, created in 2023, an offshoot of a similar pandemic program. But tucked inside the state's $338 billion budget is a $60 million budget addition for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to administer such a program. States have to pay 50% of the administrative cost to participate in the Summer EBT program, a U.S. Department of Agriculture program that also goes by the name of Sun Bucks. That large investment could bring another $400 million in federal dollars to Texas. However, ongoing talks at the federal level about slashing food benefits could endanger Texas' participation in the Biden-era summer program. A provision built into the rider could cancel the appropriation if the current state-federal funding formula changes. 'If federal matching rates for the program or administration of the program are changed in a manner that result in a higher cost to Texas from the match rates in place on May 30, 2025, this appropriation is void,' the rider language states. Families would qualify for the summer meal benefits if their children, even if they are home-schooled or attend private schools, qualify for free or reduced priced lunches during the school year. In 2024, a family of four with an annual income of $40,560 or less would be eligible for free school lunch. To qualify for a reduced school meal, that same family would have to make $57,720 or less. For state Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, bringing the Summer EBT program to Texas was personal. Today, he lives not far from where he grew up in northeast Houston. 'We were on food stamps growing up,' he said. 'I lived that experience of not having food.' While HHSC would design and manage the program, it would also work in collaboration with the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Department of Agriculture, which manages federal agriculture dollars that fund school lunches in Texas. 'TDA looks forward to continued collaboration with HHSC on their submission of a state plan, ' the agency said in a statement. The state's agriculture agency already works with schools, cities and community groups to offer lunches during the summer for school-age children. Those institutional partners submit expenses for the lunches they served and are reimbursed for cost by the federal government, according to Lena Wilson, assistant commissioner for food and nutrition at TDA. In 2024, there were 12 million summer meals (snacks and lunches) served to Texas children at 4,480 sites statewide at a cost of $46.1 million. This existing USDA's summer lunch program, which was piloted in 1968 and was made a full-fledged funding stream in 1975, does not require pre-registration or identification to access. The locations are selected primarily where children in need are located and is open to all children, even if they don't live in the specific neighborhood. 'It's great,' said Catherine Wright-Steele, TDA's commissioner of food and nutrition, because children can bring their younger siblings who aren't attending schools yet or say a young friend or cousin visiting from out of town. Some of the meals are prepared and served on site. At other locations, they can be more of a 'grab-and-go' sack lunch offering. 'So many children who live in poverty in Texas. These programs all supplement each other,' Walle said of adding another summer program. From an economic standpoint, bringing more federal dollars will put more customers in stores, he said. 'It's an economic benefit to the state of Texas,' Walle said. Walle, who said he has been working on Summer EBT for the past 18 months, also credited bipartisan support in the House and Senate, as well as Gov. Greg Abbott. For other food assistance groups, the inclusion of the rider has been welcome news. 'We're thrilled that state lawmakers included funding in the budget to administer Summer EBT,' said Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas, the state association of food banks. 'Summer EBT fills this gap, ensuring that Texas kids stay nourished and ready to learn. The program is particularly important for a state like Texas, where 1 in 6 households are food insecure.' Right now, Congress is considering slashing the budget of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, what many people still refer to as food stamps. As the rider currently reads, the Texas participation in Summer EBT could be in danger if the federal government forced states to pay more of the administrative cost or even a portion of the subsidy. There's been no word on whether the Summer EBT program could face cuts. For now, the state is moving to come up with a plan to submit to Washington. Disclosure: Feeding Texas has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Big news: 20 more speakers join the TribFest lineup! New additions include Margaret Spellings, former U.S. secretary of education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Michael Curry, former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church; Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative, D-El Paso; Joe Lonsdale, entrepreneur, founder and managing partner at 8VC; and Katie Phang, journalist and trial lawyer. Get tickets. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
