Elena Rivera
Health ReporterElena Rivera is the health reporter at KERA.
Before joining KERA, Elena covered health in Southern Colorado for KRCC and Colorado Public Radio. Her stories covered pandemic mental health support, rural community health access issues and vaccine equity across the region. She also worked as a daily show producer with Georgia Public Broadcasting and a reporter and host with Blue Ridge Public Radio. She has won awards for arts and culture reporting, podcasting and team coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Colorado from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Elena got her start as a reporter and producer at KBIA, Mid-Missouri’s NPR station. She has a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.
Outside of her public radio work, she serves as a mentor to emerging audio producers and reporters as the captain of the New Voices program with the Association of Independents in Radio (AIR).
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Dallas is the new site of a federal science and health research network with ARPA-H researching ways to improve patient experiences.
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone older than 6 months get an updated COVID-19 vaccine this fall. What's the rollout like in North Texas?
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Led by UT Southwestern Medical Center, researchers across Texas have come together to study depression among the state's youth to improve care.
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Despite recent challenges from conservative groups, Texas districts have incorporated social-emotional learning into education to help support student mental health. And at Momentous School, the practice is woven into all aspects of the curriculum.
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The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth was awarded a federal grant to improve HIV education and prevention in Dallas-Fort Worth.
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Texas doctors say potential ban on gender-affirming care for trans kids hurts patients and providersA new Texas law would stop transgender minors from accessing gender-affirming medical care. Texas doctors said this is already hurting their work and their patients.
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Community health centers are a safety net for people who are uninsured. But in Texas, the work is more challenging because the state hasn’t expanded Medicaid.
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Expanding Medicaid expansion would help thousands of uninsured adults have health care coverage. Why is Texas one of 10 states that hasn't expanded yet?
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A new report from the March of Dimes shows almost half of all counties in Texas don’t have adequate health care for pregnant people.
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As the Texas heat wave continues into July, public health officials are encouraging people to notice the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Texas has the second-highest rate of new HIV diagnoses in the country. Denton County Public Health is working to change that statistic through community testing.
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More than 140 anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced by Texas lawmakers this legislative session. That political backdrop has made events like this past weekend's annual Pride picnic in Fort Worth that much more important.