https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/stephen-simpson/The latest news by Stephen Simpson.enThu, 16 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/16/texas-health-license-compact-proposal/Advocates say interstate compacts, which allow professionals to use their work licenses in multiple states, can solve Texas’ workforce shortage. Skeptics fear Texas would send more workers than it would receive.By Stephen SimpsonThu, 16 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/16/texas-health-license-compact-proposal/The New Opportunities for Wellness (NOW) Clinic, where this photo of resources was taken, provides San Antonio with quick and reliable behavioral health services.Scenes from UT Health San Antonio’s NOW Clinic on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at the NOW Clinic in San Antonio, Tx. The New Opportunities for Wellness (NOW) Clinic provides San Antonio with quick and reliable behavioral health services from professionals.Olivia Anderson/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/06/texas-988-suicide-hotline-funding-deficit/The state’s 988 suicide had the nation’s fifth highest rate of abandoned calls in August, the latest data available, amid a multi-million funding deficit that could worsen as federal dollars expire this year.By Stephen SimpsonMon, 06 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/06/texas-988-suicide-hotline-funding-deficit/A sign for 988, the national suicide and crisis hotline number, is posted at a North Austin parking lot on Jan. 3, 2025.A sign for the national suicide and crisis hotline number, 988, is posted at a North Austin parking lot, on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/02/texas-arpa-mental-health-priorities-legislature/Texas received $203.4 million in 2021 to help build community mental health programs at libraries and churches, among other efforts. Those funds expire Dec. 31.By Stephen SimpsonThu, 02 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/02/texas-arpa-mental-health-priorities-legislature/Mental health pamphlets at an office complex in Round Rock on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024.Mental Health pamphlets at an office complex in Round Rock on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/30/exas-department-public-safety-drivers-licenses-outage/The outage appeared only to affect the Texas public safety department. Driver license offices reopened after the New Year’s Day holiday.By Stephen Simpson and Pooja SalhotraMon, 30 Dec 2024 19:57:12 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/30/exas-department-public-safety-drivers-licenses-outage/The Northwest Austin Department of Public Safety office on Jan. 24, 2019. The department closed offices on Monday due to an unspecified outage.The Nortwest Austin DPS office on Jan. 24, 2019.Emree Weaver/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/05/texas-ban-social-media-as-schools-struggle/A Texas lawmaker has introduced a bill prohibiting minors from using social media accounts as school districts become a “hunting ground” for online dangers.By Stephen SimpsonThu, 05 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/05/texas-ban-social-media-as-schools-struggle/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/04/texas-thc-ban-dan-patrick-delta-8-9-hemp/Patrick contends retailers have exploited a law passed in 2019 to sell unregulated and potentially harmful consumable tetrahydrocannabinol products.By Jasper Scherer, Alejandra Martinez, Karen Brooks Harper and Stephen SimpsonWed, 04 Dec 2024 22:07:14 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/04/texas-thc-ban-dan-patrick-delta-8-9-hemp/Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Patrick said Wednesday that the THC ban would be designated as Senate Bill 3.Lt. Governor Dan Patrick speaks during the Texas GOP Convention Thursday, May 23, 2024 in San Antonio.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/22/uvaldes-darkest-hour-craig-garnett/Craig Garnett, author of “Uvalde’s Darkest Hour,” believes healing will take time but the the city is on the right path.By Stephen SimpsonFri, 22 Nov 2024 13:15:21 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/22/uvaldes-darkest-hour-craig-garnett/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/21/texas-cities-marijuana-ken-paxton-lawsuits/Dallas is the sixth Texas city the attorney general has sued this year over marijuana decriminalization measures that he says conflicts with state law.By Stephen SimpsonThu, 21 Nov 2024 13:02:37 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/21/texas-cities-marijuana-ken-paxton-lawsuits/Recently harvested marijuana flowers are hung up to dry in South Austin on April 30, 2021.FILE: Recently harvested marijuana flowers are hung up to dry in South Austin on April 30, 2021.Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/20/trump-texas-mental-health-policy/The president-elect previously supported community mental health programs in Texas, the 988 hotline and addressed the opioid crisis, but his plan to address homelessness threatens that legacy.By Stephen SimpsonWed, 20 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/20/trump-texas-mental-health-policy/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/13/texas-social-workers-ban-lawsuit/Texas prohibits people with assault convictions, among other felonies, from becoming social workers. A new lawsuit says the ban is unconstitutional.By Stephen SimpsonWed, 13 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/13/texas-social-workers-ban-lawsuit/Tammy Thompson, left, and Katherin Youniacutt, right, pose for a portrait the night before filing a lawsuit against the state of Texas to reverse the 2019 law that prevents certain convicted felons from becoming licensed social workers.Tammy Thompson, left, and Katherin Youniacutt, right, pose for a portrait the night before filing a lawsuit against the state of Texas to try and reverse the 2019 law that prevents convicted felons from becoming licensed social workers.Ilana Panich-Linsman for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/23/texas-psychologist-exam-scrapped/The national licensing board announced it will consider folding the proposed skills test into an existing exam amid worries the additional hurdle would discourage applicants.By Stephen SimpsonWed, 23 Oct 2024 14:21:31 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/23/texas-psychologist-exam-scrapped/The Association of State & Provincial Psychology Boards discusses the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology with the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists on April 11 in Austin. Mariann Burnett-Atwell, PSY.D., Michelle Paul, PH.D., Jennifer Laforce, PH.D., Hao Song, PH.D., and Alex Siegel, J.D., PH.D. sat on the panel during the discussion.The Association of State & Provincial Psychology Boards takes part in a discussion with the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists regarding the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Austin. Mariann Burnett-Atwell, PSY.D., Michelle Paul, PH.D., Jennifer Laforce, PH.D., Hao Song, PH.D., and Alex Siegel, J.D., PH.D. sat on the panel during the discussion.Maria Crane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/23/marijuana-medical-hemp-Texas/Medical marijuana providers say they must operate under strict rules while hemp products like delta-8 can proliferate.By Stephen SimpsonWed, 23 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/23/marijuana-medical-hemp-Texas/The Texas Original cannabis farm, a medical marijuana dispensary in Manchaca pictured here on Sept. 26, uses red light to bleach the flowers of marijuana plants.The Texas Original cannabis farm on Sept. 26, 2024. The red light is an experimental form of growth where the light bleaches the flower of the plant.Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/09/texas-mental-health-toddlers-preschool/Lawmakers and child care centers are pushing for a statewide mental health system for toddlers.By Stephen SimpsonWed, 09 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/09/texas-mental-health-toddlers-preschool/Children work on letter puzzles at a Pflugerville preschool on Feb. 28, 2022.Children work on letter puzzles at Kid's Castle Family Daycare and Preschool in Pflugerville on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022.Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/12/texas-mental-health-provider-certification/Other states look to Texas as the state psychology board pushes against the new national licensing requirements.By Stephen SimpsonThu, 12 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/12/texas-mental-health-provider-certification/Chair John Bielamowicz of the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists has supported a faster route to certification.Chair John Bielamowicz speaks during a a Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists meeting Thursday, April 11, 2024 in Austin. During the meeting, the state board met with the Association of State & Provincial Psychology Boards to discuss the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology.Maria Crane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/29/texas-arizona-crisis-mental-health-centers/Texas officials look to Arizona cities when creating crisis mental health centers.By Stephen SimpsonThu, 29 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/29/texas-arizona-crisis-mental-health-centers/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/05/texas-mental-health-supervisors-training-students/Future Texas therapists must complete internships to start their careers, but there’s not enough providers to mentor all of the students.By Stephen SimpsonMon, 05 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/05/texas-mental-health-supervisors-training-students/A recent workforce survey done by the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council found that over 75% of the 10,233 mental health providers who responded indicated they were not supervising anyone currently.Psychotherapist Monrovia Van Hoose's office on Friday, Mar. 11, 2022.Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/30/texas-marijuana-decriminalization-san-marcos-ken-paxton/Three other cities have passed similar measures but the Texas AG and others question whether they can be enforced because of conflicts with state law.By Stephen SimpsonTue, 30 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/30/texas-marijuana-decriminalization-san-marcos-ken-paxton/A sign asking for the decriminalization of marijuana is posted outside of an event hosted by Ground Game in Harker Heights, Texas on Dec. 3, 2022.A sign asking for the decriminalization of marijuana is posted outside of an event hosted by Ground Game in Harker Heights on Dec. 3, 2022.Azul Sordo/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/22/texas-san-antonio-religion-mental-health/Under a Harvard Medical School pilot program, church members and leaders will work as interns before counseling on their own, referring more serious cases to medical providers.By Stephen SimpsonMon, 22 Jul 2024 12:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/22/texas-san-antonio-religion-mental-health/The St. Dominic Catholic Church in San Antonio on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. The church is one of eight in the city integrating mental health resources into their available services.Scenes from St. Dominic Catholic Church on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at St. Dominic Catholic Church in San Antonio, Tx. The church has found success in implementing mental health resources into their available services, facilitated by the Congregational Collective, which is a program from the HEB Foundation that promotes mental wellness through the support of faith communities.Olivia Anderson/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/17/texas-mental-health-workforce-explainer/A guide to some of the professions that make up the mental health workforce.By Stephen Simpson, Graphics by Elijah Nicholson-MessmerWed, 17 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/17/texas-mental-health-workforce-explainer/The Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists holds a discussion with the Association of State & Provincial Psychology Boards regarding the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Austin. Mariann Burnett-Atwell, PSY.D., Michelle Paul, PH.D., Jennifer Laforce, PH.D., Hao Song, PH.D., and Alex Siegel, J.D., PH.D. sat on the panel during the discussion.The Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists holds a discussion with the Association of State & Provincial Psychology Boards regarding the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology on Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Austin. Mariann Burnett-Atwell, PSY.D., Michelle Paul, PH.D., Jennifer Laforce, PH.D., Hao Song, PH.D., and Alex Siegel, J.D., PH.D. sat on the panel during the discussion.Maria Crane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/12/texas-nursing-homes-assisted-living-generators-beryl/There’s no Texas requirement that nursing homes and assisted living facilities keep generators on hand to power air conditioning after storms.By Terri Langford and Stephen SimpsonFri, 12 Jul 2024 20:42:17 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/12/texas-nursing-homes-assisted-living-generators-beryl/Housekeeper Denise Wright throws out food on Friday that spoiled after Hurricane Beryl caused power outages at the Ella Springs Senior Living Community in Houston. The loss of electricity meant that many residents had to throw out the majority of their cold food items.Denise Wright, a housekeeper, goes through residents’ refrigerators to throw out food that spoiled during the blackout on Friday, July 12, 2024, at Ella Springs Senior Living Community in Houston, Tx. The lack of power meant that many residents had to throw out the majority of their cold food items, no matter how recently purchased.Olivia Anderson/The Texas Tribune