Public News Service

It's estimated that Direct File would save the average user $160 in filing fees, and hours of their time, each year. (Parradee/Adobe Stock)

Free IRS tool can help Texans file taxes

CLARIFICATION: In last paragraph, it is estimated that 4 million Texans are eligible to use the Direct File program, not that 4 million will actually …

All libraries that are awarded funding through Libraries for Health are part of a collaborative learning cohort. (Liz Moskowitz)

For Central Texans, libraries can be a mental health resource

This is National Library Week, honoring the many roles that libraries play in their communities. In central Texas, a pilot program is using the …

As of Oct. 2023, the average teacher salary was $68,000 a year, which is 8% less than the average for U.S. workers overall. (Drazen/Adobe Stock)

University of Texas El Paso targets teacher shortage

It's estimated that nearly half of all schools in the country don't have enough teachers. To help change that, the University of Texas in El Paso …

The National Center for Education Statistics reports that 43% of public school students attend schools where a majority of them are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. (Adobe Stock)

Texas food bank, schools team up to help needy families

To reach more hungry families, one Texas nonprofit is setting up mini food markets in schools. The Tarrant Area Food Bank in North Texas provides 60…

Neighborhoods lacking sidewalks can discourage people from getting exercise which could improve their health. (JacobLund/AdobeStock)

TX health foundation broadens focus beyond the doctor's office

There are Texas ZIP codes where people with lower incomes and few health services have a 20-year difference in life expectancy than those who are more…

Los datos federales sugieren que al menos siete de cada 10 personas han perdido su cobertura de Medicaid por motivos de procedimiento, como el incumplimiento de plazos, la p�rdida de documentaci�n en el correo o la lentitud en la tramitaci�n por parte de las agencias estatales. (zimmytws/Adobestock)

'Unwinding' de Medicaid cobra alto precio a niños de Texas

Durante la pandemia, aún más niños estadounidenses tuvieron seguro médico, pero ahora que los estados están obligados a …

Texas is among 17 states with the lowest public school spending per student, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. (wavebreak3/Adobe Stock)

Texas Senate makes school vouchers its priority in education funding

Public schoolteachers in Texas say the state desperately needs to boost its overall investment in students and education programs. Instead, lawmakers …

The number of Texans who skipped or postponed some sort of health care because of cost has reached an all-time high, according to a new survey by the Episcopal Health Foundation. (Malik/peopleimages.com/AdobeStock)

Poll: Texans skip, delay medical care as affordability, access worsens

More than half of those who responded to a new Texas health care poll said it is becoming more difficult to afford, and the number of those who do …

President Joe Biden does not believe the U.S.-Mexican border wall built by his predecessor was effective, but cited a 2019 congressional appropriation of funds as the reason for new border wall in the Rio Grande Valley. (AerialStockFootage/Adobe Stock)

South Texas opponents of new border wall promise resistance

Opponents of previous efforts to build a border wall in South Texas are reeling from the Biden administration's announcement last week to resume…

Due to service disruptions caused by the three-year pandemic, the Social Security Administration plans to implement a new telephone platform for its toll-free number by the end of 2023. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

Many Texans May Be Unaware They're Eligible for SSI Benefits

Most people eligible for Social Security know what's required to access the program, but another federal program aimed at underserved communities …

The overall number of Americans without health insurance dropped to a record low in the first three months of 2023, a number expected to rise as Medicaid rolls are purged post-pandemic. (NewAfrica/AdobeStock)

Texans Navigate the Post-Pandemic Medicaid Purge

A nationwide purge of Medicaid rolls is underway after a three-year pause during the pandemic. And in Texas, most of those dropped are children…

Families of at least 3.7 million Texas children would have been eligible for summer federal food assistance that the state declined to pursue. (highwaystarz/Adobe Stock)

Texas Families Lose Out on Summer Food Assistance

Many Texas families are still struggling financially post-COVID. Nonetheless, the state turned down millions of dollars in federal aid for summer …

The lack of nearby and affordable child care in the U.S. affects job opportunities and costs the economy $122 billion annually, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (mmg1design/Adobe Stock)

Report: Texas Ranks 44th in Nation for Child Well-Being

Child well-being in Texas is on the ropes, with a new study showing significant declines in third grade reading, eighth grade math proficiency and …

For every $1 invested in ARRIBA - El Paso's workforce development program - the local economy receives $28 back, according to a 2021 study by the Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness. (Rob/Adobe Stock)

TX Model Transforms Low-Income Students Into Skilled Professionals

For more than two decades, a workforce development program in El Paso has invested in the economically disadvantaged to help them attain the …

Por cada $1 invertido en ARRIBA, programa de desarrollo de la fuerza laboral de El Paso, la econom�a local recibe $28 de vuelta, seg�n un estudio de 2021 del Instituto Hunt para la Competitividad Global. (Rob/Adobe Stock)

TX Modelo transforma a estudiantes de bajos ingresos en profesionales

Durante más de dos décadas, un programa de desarrollo de la fuerza laboral en El Paso ha invertido en los económicamente …

The U.S. Army had its highest number of active duty personnel in 2020, according to Statista.com. (PatouRicard/Pixabay)

TX Writer: Low-Income Youths Targeted for Military Service

By Aina Marzia for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for Texas News Service reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service Collaboration …

Texas kids are some of the least likely in the nation to receive adequate health care, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (everytexan.org)

2022 Report: Texas Ranks 45th for Child Well-Being

When it comes to child well-being, Texas is slipping further behind, according to the 2022 Kids Count Data Book, compiled by the Annie E. Casey …

The Episcopal Health Foundation recently announced grants totally $21 million to help community-based organizations and clinics address non-medical, social factors that impact health. (episcopalhealth.org)

Going Beyond the Doctor's Office to Treat Community Health Needs

The new leader of Houston's Episcopal Health Foundation says the COVID pandemic, and now monkeypox, shine a light on Texas populations that are …

Black communities bear disproportionate hardships of the environmental crisis, but have historically been left out of the environmental movement. (upstreamsolutions.org)

Environmentalists: Education, Empowerment Needed Post-Juneteenth

Juneteenth celebrations this month commemorated freedom, but Black and Brown people are still disproportionately impacted by environmental injustices …

Pregnant women in Texas are more likely to be uninsured and less likely to seek early prenatal care than the rest of the country. (SzilardSzabo/Pixabay)

High Court's Abortion Ruling Sets Up Texas Ban, Criminalization

The ruling on abortion by the U.S. Supreme Court has returned the issue to the states, fulfilling long-held goals of Republican lawmakers in Texas to …

One of the only bright spots in the USDA's food-price predictions for 2022 is that fresh vegetables are expected to rise in price just 1 to 2%. (Travel Photographer/Negative Space)

Along with Prices, Hunger Rises in Texas

Prices for food, gas and housing are all higher in Texas this year than last. And for local food banks, that means the need for their services is …

In Texas, 16% of residents say the COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe financial suffering. (islandworks/Pixabay)

TX Survey: Hispanics Suffer Greatest Financial Hardship from COVID-19

Half of Texas residents say COVID-19 has caused them financial hardship, and Hispanic families faced the most severe consequences, according to a new …

The number of Texas foster children in temporary lodgings rose from 47 in August 2020 to roughly 400 a year later, while the average length of stay increased from 3.6 nights to 18 nights, according to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. (wokandapix/Pixabay) <br />

TX Children's Advocates Want Foster Care System Fixed ASAP

The Texas foster-care system is suffering a severe shortage of safe and appropriate placement homes, resulting in an expert panel being convened to …

About one in 10 births in the U.S. happens in Texas, but the state's maternal mortality rate is 6% higher than the U.S. rate overall. (regina_zulauf/Pixabay)

Build Back Better Would Close Gap in TX Kids' Health Coverage

HOUSTON -- Children's advocates say the difficulty in providing health coverage for poor families in Texas could be largely solved if the Build Back B…

In recent months, record numbers of teenagers and children traveling without their parents and in need of shelter have arrived at the U.S. border with Mexico. (U.S. Border Patrol via Twitter)

Opponents of U.S. Immigration Policies March in El Paso

EL PASO, Texas - A group that opposes U.S. immigration policies and holding children at military bases is protesting today by walking to Fort Bliss …

A first-of-its-kind project will benefit three Texas clinics that address the health needs of communities on the front lines of the climate crisis. (kentdufault/Pixabay)

Pilot Project Aims to Build Climate Resilience at TX Health Clinics

HOUSTON, Texas -- Climate-change events can create a significant challenge for community health centers serving clients in states such as Texas…

Texas ranks as the fifth-highest state for senior food insecurity, according to Feeding Texas. (texasimpact.org)

TX Lawmakers Urged to Remove Barriers for Vulnerable SNAP Recipients

AUSTIN, Texas -- Hunger relief organizations say the pandemic combined with February's unexpected winter storm in Texas has highlighted the state's …

Los peque�os negocios emplearon al 45% de trabajadores del sector privado en Texas, antes de el inicio de la pandemia, de acuerdo a la

Legisladores de TX revisan Iniciativa para Ayudar a Trabajadores a Ahorrar para el Retiro

AUSTIN, Texas -- Para los habitantes de Texas, la pandemia empeoró las posibilidades de ahorro; pero una iniciativa de ley presentada a la …

White people have consistently higher retirement incomes than do Black or Hispanic people, and men have higher retirement incomes than women, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security. (antonynjora/Pixabay)

Post-COVID, Women Encouraged to Assertively Save for Retirement

AUSTIN, Texas - Many who were on track for a secure financial retirement were thrown a curve by the novel coronavirus pandemic, and financial experts …

By solid margins, voters in Texas support extending the Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act, according to a survey by Data for Progress. (childrensdefense.org)

Will COVID-19 Stimulus Dollars Turn Texas Toward Medicaid Expansion?

AUSTIN, Texas -- The COVID-19 relief bill is packed with incentives to encourage 12 holdout states to expand Medicaid, but it's unclear if Texas and …

A rare winter storm in Texas last month led to the deployment of the National Guard to conduct welfare checks and move many residents to one of 135 local warming centers. (besnopile/pixabay)

Texas Senior Advocates Issue Plea for Winter-Storm Utility-Bill Assistance

AUSTIN, Texas -- Responding to older Texans hit particularly hard by the massive winter-storm power outage last month, AARP Texas and the Texas Legal …

The best states for children during the pandemic are Minnesota, Utah, Washington and New Hampshire, while the worst are Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and New Mexico, according to a new report from Save the Children. (marcinjozwiak/Pixabay)

COVID's Devastating Impact on Texas Children

AUSTIN, Texas -- When it comes to protecting children during the pandemic, Texas has not fared well compared with many other states. A new report …

Texas has the highest number of billion-dollar weather disasters and leads the United States in total cumulative costs from billion-dollar disasters since 1980, according to NOAA. (andrewtheshrew/Pixabay)

Climate Change Expected to Increase Displacement, Migration in Texas

HOUSTON -- The Biden administration has said it wants to prevent worst-case scenarios due to climate change, and Texas has several risks that need to …

It's estimated one in four Texas children are experiencing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. (afmc.org)

COVID-19 Increases Number of Texas Children Going Hungry

AUSTIN, Texas -- More than two million children are suffering from food insecurity in Texas, where the rate has increased more than 7% since the …

New research estimates by 2030, the economic costs of health disparities in Texas could increase to $3.4 billion in excess medical spending, $6.1 billion in lost productivity and 551,000 lost life years valued at $28 billion. (commonealthfund.org)

Report: COVID-19 Health Disparities Cost Texas Nearly $8 Billion

AUSTIN, Texas -- By now, health disparities between white Americans and minorities who contract COVID-19 are well documented, but the economic toll …

COVID-19 has increased demand for emergency food, decreased food donation amounts, and forced disruptions to charitable food-assistance programs. (congerdesign/Pixabay)

TX Lawmakers Consider Bill to Streamline SNAP

AUSTIN, Texas -- Food insecurity doubled at the start of the pandemic, according to a study released earlier this year, and Texas groups that …

A lack of zoning in places such as Houston often means the most vulnerable people are in the path of harmful pollution. (EDAF)

Poll: White Americans Unaware of Pollution Impacts in Disadvantaged Areas

AUSTIN, Texas -- When high pollution levels occur in a neighborhood, residents are likely to be Black or Latino families, and a new survey finds many …

Una falta de zonificaci�n en lugares como Houston, frecuentemente significa que la gente m�s vulnerable va rumbo a una contaminaci�n nociva. (EDAF)

Encuesta: Los Americanos Blancos No son Conscientes de los Impactos de la Contaminación en las Áreas Marginadas

Austin, TX - Cuando ocurren los niveles altos de contaminación en un barrio, muy posiblemente los residentes sean familias Negras o Latinas - y …

Mortality rates are down, but cancer remains the leading cause of death by disease in U.S. children ages 1-19. (unitypoint.org)

Kids' Advocates: It's Time to Prevent Childhood Cancer

AUSTIN, Texas -- Cancer is the leading cause of death among children, despite advances in treatment. David Levine, cofounder and president of the …

In Texas, 954,000 adults would be newly enrolled in Medicaid if lawmakers chose to expand it. (texasmed.org)

Study: Texas Forfeits $5.4 Billion without Medicaid Expansion

AUSTIN, Texas -- As states grapple with financial shortfalls due to the coronavirus pandemic, a new study shows just how much Texas could benefit by …

A ban on evictions through year's end could prevent 40 million Americans from losing their homes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but they'll still owe the rent. (acluwv.org)

Nationwide Eviction Moratorium Includes Strict Stipulations

AUSTIN, Texas -- Despite a nationwide moratorium against evictions, people are losing their homes, and the order has created conflicts between …

La AARP dice que cualquier intento de amenaza que ponga en riesgo la

AARP: “Social Security” debe ser protegida para 3.3 millones de Tejanos

AUSTIN, Texas -- El Presidente Donald Trump declaró que, si es reelegido, planea acabar con el impuesto a la nómina, la principal fuente de …

Since the federal legislation that prevented evictions expired in July, they have resumed in many parts of Texas. (calmatters.org)

Hispanics Fear Even Worse Coronavirus Problems are Coming

AUSTIN, Texas -- The nation's economy has contracted at historic rates since the outset of COVID-19, and the outbreak has significantly harmed the …

A new report shows when it comes to protecting and providing for children, Texas has no counties that rank among the top U.S. 50 - and one county, Dimmit, in the bottom 50. (Bessi/Pixabay)<br />

Report: Childhood Ends Too Soon for Too Many Kids

AUSTIN, Texas -- Childhood is ending too soon for too many children in too many counties across the U.S, according to a new report from the group …

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department temporarily suspended new admissions to facilities this month due to the COVID-19 outbreak. (texascjc.org)

Study: Juvenile Incarcerations Drop in Coronavirus Pandemic

AUSTIN, Texas -- As the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the U.S. last month, the number of young people in local secure detention centers fell by 24…

Texas is home to nearly 5 million people without health insurance, but also is one of 17 states that has not expanded Medicaid. (Resprouk/Pixabay)

The Answer to Better Health? Investment in Health and Health Care

AUSTIN, Texas -- If we didn't know before, we now realize how important personal protective equipment, or PPE, and respirators are to fighting a …

Texas es uno de los cinco territorios de los Estados Unidos con el mayor n�mero de ni�os latinos sin seguro, de acuerdo al Centro para los Ni�os y las Familias (Center for Children and Families) en la Universidad Georgetown. (salud-america.org)

Niñas y niños latinos del Texas, los más vulnerables durante el COVID-19

AUSTIN, Texas -- Conforme la pandemia del COVID-19 empeora en los EEUU, la disparidad entre quienes tienen seguro de salud y quienes no es evidente …

A new AARP Texas survey shows that 82% of residents support new measures that would help them solve the puzzle of saving for retirement. (qimono/Pixabay)

Survey: Texas Workers Need On-the-Job Savings Options

AUSTIN, Texas -- Americans are living longer and working longer, but a new study shows the majority of Texans aren't socking away enough money for …

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TX: Poverty Issues