The latest Department of State Health Services news from The Texas Tribune.
A measles outbreak at a church and soaring rates of whooping cough across the state are drawing renewed calls for immunization legislation, which medical professionals argue would help the state prevent public health crises. Full Story
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UPDATED: Despite pleas from reproductive rights advocates to amend proposed rules to enact strict regulations on abortion facilities, the Department of State Health Services’ governing council gave tacit approval to them on Thursday. Full Story
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At the Trib's Aug. 19 symposium on mental health at the University of Texas at San Antonio, I talked about budget and policy accomplishments in the 83rd session with state Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston; David Lakey, commissioner of the Department of State Health Services; and state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio. Full Story
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Fewer college students will be required to have meningitis vaccinations, and new rules also make it easier for some students to opt out of the vaccinations. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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Fewer college students will be required to have meningitis vaccinations, and new rules also make it easier for some students to opt out of the vaccinations. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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UPDATED: State Sen. Jane Nelson has responded to the Texas Women’s Healthcare Coalition’s concerns that the state’s $100 million expansion of a primary care program would not meet lawmakers' intent of restoring access to family planning. Full Story
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Private organizations are working to educate Texans about coverage options through the federal health insurance exchange, a component of the federal Affordable Care Act that opens on Oct. 1. Full Story
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A House bill designed to curb Medicaid fraud became a vehicle to save floundering health care legislation on Friday. Full Story
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Hey, Texplainer: Which state and federal agencies were responsible for overseeing and regulating the fertilizer plant in West that exploded last week? Full Story
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Private mental health care providers would be allowed into select jails to attempt to restore inmates to competency under a proposed pilot program. The restored inmates would then be able to stand for trial. Full Story
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One lawmaker is getting much of the credit for restoring family planning funding to the House budget without the usual floor fight: state Rep. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place. Full Story
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A new website and database released by the Texas Policy Evaluation Project explores the impact of cuts made in 2011 to state family-planning services, breaking down information on the county and district level. Full Story
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About 50 Texas farmers markets take SNAP benefits, WIC benefits or both. The programs are not well utilized, but proponents say it's important to provide as many healthy food options as possible for Texans who use nutrition benefits. Full Story
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As state legislators consider what “a Texas solution” to Medicaid expansion would look like, others have begun addressing the question of how Medicaid expansion would affect the state budget and local taxes. Full Story
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Proponents and critics weighed in Wednesday on a bill that would allow the sale of raw milk at farmer’s markets and other sites like fairs and flea markets. Full Story
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Democratic legislators are questioning whether the Texas Women’s Health Program has an adequate network of health care providers in light of a state agency’s decision to pull the list of providers from a state website. Full Story
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The Rio Grande Valley became one of the last regions to operate under Medicaid health maintenance organizations last year. Now, many doctors there say the red tape in the new system has taken the joy out of practicing medicine. Full Story
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At a Senate panel hearing Tuesday on prescription drug abuse, doctors called upon the Legislature to provide "better education to physicians" about “how addictive these drugs are.” Full Story
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Amid a recent increase in suicides among military veterans, Texas lawmakers are looking at ways to address mental health challenges for veterans as they return home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Full Story
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Texas has a severe shortage of mental health professionals, according to the federal government. This interactive map provides information on state-funded mental health care statewide. Full Story
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