Health care workforce

Last month, Gov. Greg Abbott announced a freeze on H-1B visas for public universities and state agencies — just a few months after the Trump administration increased the application fee from $5,000 to $100,000. Texas health care leaders warn changes could have a negative impact on the state's health care workforce.

Dr. John Burruss, CEO of Dallas County's largest behavioral health provider, is set to retire at the end of April after over a decade with the organization. He spoke with KERA's Abigail Ruhman about his time with one of the busiest community mental health centers in Texas and the future of mental health care.

The Texas Legislature at least partially implemented less than a third of recommendations from the state’s 2024 Children’s Behavioral Health Strategic Plan, according to a recent report. Many of the recommendations focus on increasing access to services that keep children in their homes or communities instead of institutional settings.

Texas proposed increases to Medicaid reimbursement rates for certain ambulance services. During a public rate hearing, providers said the higher rates could help maintain access to critical services, especially in rural areas.

Among other things, the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee is tasked with developing new dietary and nutrition guidelines and new educational requirements. The committee has less than a year to produce a report that could effect all levels of education — including Texas medical schools.

There's a nationwide shortage of nurses who can provide sexual assault care. A recent UT Arlington study found rural nurses encounter unique challenges when trying to access training to fill that gap.

Texas is set to receive the largest award from the federal Rural Health Transformation Program — with federal officials awarding $1.4 billion to the state over five years. The state received millions more in funding that it asked for in its application.

UT Southwestern was selected by the state to run the Texas Behavioral Health Center — the first state behavioral health hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The new hospital, set to open this summer, will provide inpatient services for people with serious mental health issues

The UNT Dallas campus in southern Dallas has a new addition: a 120,200-square-foot STEM building. The university said the new space, along with new programs and partnerships with UNT Health in Fort Worth, will expand capacity to train students in the health care and science workforce pipeline. The goal is to address workforce shortages in Dallas and beyond.