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mental health
Laurel Ridge Treatment Center Set to Lose Medicare, Medicaid Contracts Over Violations
Three patients died and others were injured as inspectors cite the San Antonio psychiatric facility for ongoing problems.
by
Gina Jiménez
April 17, 2026
April 17, 2026
workplace
California May Ban Artificial-Stone Countertops
A state board is considering the drastic move, which could come as soon as May, after an outbreak of the lung disease silicosis among countertop fabricators
by
Jim Morris
April 14, 2026
April 15, 2026
mental health
East Texas Hit Hard by Gun-Related Suicides
Scarcity of mental health resources, prevalence of guns and stigma attached to seeking help contribute to high suicide rates.
by
Sandy West
March 29, 2026
March 30, 2026
Impact
Fumed Podcast Wins Two Awards in National Business Reporting Contest
Public Health Watch’s inaugural podcast, Fumed, has won two Best in Business awards from the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW).
by
Public Health Watch
March 26, 2026
March 27, 2026
fumed
Public Health Watch Town Hall on Chemical Barges Draws More than 100
by
Public Health Watch
March 9, 2026
March 9, 2026
Town-Hall Event in Texas Draws Residents and Advocates Seeking Missing Cancer Data
by
Public Health Watch
February 23, 2026
March 9, 2026
A Weekly Roundup of Public Health News
Increase in Climate-Related Flooding Threatens Food Crops
Corn, soybeans, wheat face huge potential losses from flooding … Vaccination coverage dips for U.S. health care workers … and more.
April 18, 2026
April 18, 2026
Extreme Weather Hurting U.S. Housing
April 12, 2026
April 13, 2026
Read more editions of The Watch
workplace
Workplace Amputations Are on the Rise
Over a decade, an average of seven U.S. workers a day suffered workplace accidents that caused or led to amputations. Those numbers are expected to go up with reduced federal oversight under the Trump administration.
by
Eshaan Sarup
March 4, 2026
March 4, 2026
special report
Texas Clears the Way for Petrochemical Expansion as Experts Warn of Health Risks
Public Health Watch chronicles, in 13 scenes, a fossil-fuel infrastructure boom that could worsen air pollution in some areas and exacerbate climate change.
by
Shelby Jouppi
Jim Morris
and
Savanna Strott
environment
Do you live near a refinery that uses hydrogen fluoride?
Use Public Health Watch’s interactive map to learn about the 40 refineries that use the potentially lethal chemical, their accident histories and their worst-case accident scenarios.
by
Shelby Jouppi
February 12, 2026
February 12, 2026
climate change
Massive Galveston Bay Barrier System Gets One Step Closer to Construction
A January vote to begin preliminary engineering and design work jump-started the controversial “Ike Dike” project, meant to protect against increasingly fierce hurricanes. But not everyone is celebrating.
by
Elena Bruess
February 19, 2026
April 4, 2026
PHW News
Two New Top Officers Elected to Public Health Watch Board
Retired NPR correspondent Howard Berkes and political strategist Cliff Walker become board chair and vice chair, respectively.
by
Public Health Watch
February 23, 2026
February 23, 2026
Impact
PHW Executive Director Appears on ‘Hello Houston’ to Discuss Petrochemical Investigation
Jim Morris was interviewed on the Houston Public Media talk show February 12 about health threats associated with an infrastructure boom in Texas
by
Public Health Watch
February 13, 2026
February 15, 2026
impact
‘Fumed’ Found Problems With Houston’s Industrial Permitting Process. The City Changed Its Policies.
Public Health Watch’s podcast highlighted residents’ lack of protection from industrial facilities moving into their neighborhoods — even when deed restrictions were in place. Three months later, the Houston Planning Department addressed the underlying problem.
by
David Leffler
fumed
The Loosely Regulated Petrochemical Barge Industry Is Commandeering a Texas River
People who live on the San Jacinto fear chemical releases and explosions from the vessels. It’s unclear who’s policing the buildup.
by
Salina Arredondo
mental health
San Antonio Area Sees a Boom in Mental Health Providers. But Not Where Scarcity Is Severe.
The number of mental health providers in Bexar County has soared over the past five years, but the growth was heaviest in more affluent northern areas.
by
Gina Jiménez
January 16, 2026
January 16, 2026
Workplace
As Trump Pushed Mines to Increase Production, Protections for Black Lung Victims Stalled
by
Justin Hicks/Kentucky Public Radio
December 31, 2025
January 1, 2026
Access to Care
Blood Work: ‘Milk and Cookies’ Aren’t Enough: Why the U.S. Pays for Plasma
by
David Martin Davies/Texas Public Radio
January 2, 2026
February 12, 2026
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Climate Change
Texas Workers Keep Dying in the Heat
by
Martha Pskowski/Inside Climate News
and
Keerti Gopal/Inside Climate News
November 25, 2025
December 30, 2025
mental health
Texas Boosted Its Funding for Dementia Prevention, but Alzheimer’s Advocates Want More From State Leaders
by
Raquel Torres
November 13, 2025
November 13, 2025
A Fumed Bonus Episode:
‘The Scientist Who Refused to be Intimidated’
The latest episode of our podcast,
Fumed,
tells how a high-profile epidemiologist withstood political pressure and intimidation throughout his career in a quest to protect public health.
Listen to all
Fumed
episodes here
or wherever you get your podcasts.
stories
A Community Burdened by Chemical Waste Is Demanding Cancer Data. Texas Health Officials Won’t Give It to Them.
Last year, state epidemiologists studied an industrialized region east of Houston. They reported finding high rates of cancer, but refused to release key geographic details — a decision some experts say is irresponsible.
Residents of Channelview Grapple With Results of Alarming Cancer Study
About
Fumed
impact
Public Health Watch, Univision 45 Investigation Wins Regional Emmy Award
November 17, 2025
December 6, 2025
Public Health Watch Founder’s Book Wins Science Writing Award
September 30, 2025
September 30, 2025
climate change
Growing Threat to Heat-Exposed Workers: Chronic Kidney Disease
by
Gina Jiménez
October 30, 2025
October 30, 2025
uninsured in america
A Closer Look at What’s Driving the Rising Rate of Uninsured Children
by
Kim Krisberg
October 14, 2025
November 5, 2025
climate change
Houston-Area Governments Allow Industrial Disaster Risks to Go Unaddressed
by
Salina Arredondo
October 6, 2025
March 4, 2026
Climate Change
As Trump Works to Crush Climate Efforts, Local Projects Persevere at the Grassroots
by
Greg Harman/Deceleration
October 17, 2025
October 18, 2025
climate change
What Extreme Heat Is Doing to Your Body
As climate change intensifies, heat health risks from accelerated aging to bad decision-making grow worldwide. Here’s what you need to know.
by
Keerti Gopal/Inside Climate News
October 2, 2025
October 2, 2025
mental health
For People With Mental Illness, the Path to Disability Benefits Can Be Long and Difficult
A shortage of mental-health providers and other barriers to proving a disabling condition can make qualifying for benefits especially challenging. Federal funding cuts could worsen the picture.
by
Gina Jiménez
September 22, 2025
September 29, 2025
commentary
Insurance Coverage for Obesity Treatment Is Long Overdue
Legislation pending in Congress would eliminate discriminatory rules that bar anti-obesity medications from the same coverage afforded treatments of other chronic diseases. But its fate is uncertain.
by
Lisa Doggett
September 30, 2025
September 30, 2025
Uninsured in America
Having Epilepsy and No Health Insurance Can Exact a Heavy Toll. The Plight Is Likely More Common in Texas.
Nearly 300,000 people in Texas have the life-threatening, life-altering disease. It’s expensive to treat, so health insurance is crucial, though often out of reach.
by
Kim Krisberg
August 25, 2025
January 29, 2026
behind the story
Video: Telling the Stories of the Uninsured
by
Public Health Watch
September 28, 2025
September 28, 2025
Video: Will Texas Finally Address the Alzheimer’s Crisis in the Rio Grande Valley?
by
Public Health Watch
August 19, 2025
August 19, 2025
ENVIRONMENT
Trump Exempts Biggest Emitters of Two Carcinogens from Pollution Rule
Last week, the White House exempted 49 chemical plants from a 2024 rule that would have required them to monitor and control air emissions to reduce cancer risks. One-third of these plants release either ethylene oxide or chloroprene.
by
Shelby Jouppi
July 21, 2025
August 27, 2025
Trump Pollution Exemptions Would Shield Lawbreakers, Endanger Millions
Analysis shows EPA rollbacks of the HON rule would put overburdened communities at risk and benefit chemical plants that frequently violate their permits.
by
Shelby Jouppi
commentary
We’ve been here all along
Public Health Watch rarely covers breaking news, but its investigative reporting often foreshadows it. Consider the push to slash Medicaid coverage for the poor.
by
Jim Morris
uninsured in america
Medicaid Cuts Could Be Devastating for the Delta and the Rest of Rural America
The “big, beautiful bill” would cause 11.8 million more Americans to become uninsured by 2034.
by
Shalina Chatlani/Stateline
and
Kim Krisberg/Public Health Watch
In Rio Grande Valley, Women Face Elevated Risks of Cervical Cancer. The Safeguards Aren’t Always There.
by
Daisy Yuhas
Formerly Incarcerated People Face Steep Hurdles to Get Reliable Health Care
by
Katti Gray/MLK50
Seven Federal Policy Changes That Will Hurt Polluted Communities
by
Savanna Strott
commentary
The Weight of the World on Young Shoulders
by
Lisa Doggett
and
Clara Williams
uninsured in america
Many Florida Kids Face Barriers to Dental Care. Will a Fluoride Ban Heighten Their Risk of Harm?
by
Stephanie Colombini/WUSF
Commentary
Biggest Loser in the 89th Texas Legislature: Public Health
by
Public Health Watch
Mental Health
Texas Schools Fall Short on Resources to Address Student Mental Health Issues Before They Become Crises
by
Gina Jiménez
and
Eshaan Sarup
Uninsured in America
In Southeast Kansas, Homelessness Is Treated as Health Care, and People Are Getting Off the Streets
by
Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector
uninsured in america
More Than a Fifth of Indigenous Oklahomans Are Uninsured. The Price They Pay Can Be Steep.
by
Jillian Taylor and Sarah Liese/StateImpact Oklahoma
Uninsured in America
A Pill Could End the HIV Epidemic. Why Do So Few Mississippians Take it?
by
Gwen Dilworth/Mississippi Today
uninsured in america
In the Deep South, Health Care Fights Echo Civil Rights Battles
Sixty years after Medicaid was created, grassroots groups demand accessible, affordable health care in a system that continues to deny it.
by
Anna Claire Vollers/Stateline
WORKPLACE
‘Secret Deal’ in California Would Weaken Regulations for Oil Refineries
by
Jim Morris
and
Molly Peterson
workplace
Court Blocks Enforcement of New Silica Dust Protections for Coal Miners
by
Howard Berkes/Public Health Watch, and Curtis Tate/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Black Lung Researchers Among Hundreds Laid Off From Federal Health Agency
by
Justin Hicks/Kentucky Public Radio
See our previous coverage of black lung
Environment
California Falls Short in Enforcing Regulations for the Metal Shredding Industry
by
Molly Peterson
mental health
Nowhere to Turn: Abortion Laws Erode Trust Between Mental Health Providers and Their Clients
by
Gina Jiménez
uninsured in america
Texas Has the Highest Rate of Uninsured Children, and It’s Getting Worse
by
Kim Krisberg
February 26, 2025
March 11, 2025
Silicosis Epidemic
California Introduces Online Dashboard to Track Silicosis Cases
by
Jim Morris
fumed
Tough New Bill Aims to Curb Benzene Pollution in Channelview
by
Savanna Strott
environment
California Lead Battery Recycler Admits Violating Permit, State Law in Consent Order
The agreement resolves tank-related violations reported by Public Health Watch last fall.
by
Molly Peterson
Commentary
An Urgent Argument for the HPV Vaccine
by
Lisa Doggett
climate change
Who Are California’s Top Climate Polluters?
by
Eshaan Sarup
January 23, 2025
January 23, 2025
impact
Goodyear Agrees to Remedy Carcinogen Emissions From Niagara Falls Plant
by
Emyle Watkins
climate change
Texas Is Unprepared for Compound Climate Disasters
by
Jana Cholakovska
Workplace
Workers at poultry, swine processing plants are at high risk of injury, need more protection, new studies conclude
by
Eshaan Sarup
Children
‘We Give Manufactured Chemicals More Rights Than We Give Criminal Defendants’
A new paper blames rampant chemical production for a host of illnesses among children.
by
Jim Morris
mental health
How Texas’ War on Drug Users Fueled an Austin Overdose Disaster
by
Jason Buch
toxic texas air
New Analysis Shows Channelview Cancer Risk Is Likely Far Higher Than EPA Estimates
The cancer risk from benzene emissions could be up to 2,000 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s current estimate.
by
Savanna Strott
Levels of Cancer-Causing Benzene Reached New Heights in Beleaguered Channelview, Texas. Regulators Never Told Residents.
Los niveles de benceno, un químico cancerígeno, alcanzaron nuevos picos en la afligida comunidad de Channelview. Los reguladores nunca se lo comunicaron a los residentes.
As California’s Central Valley Bakes, Calls Grow for Renter Protections
by
Claudia Boyd-Barrett
environment
As Billions of Federal Dollars Flow Into California Hydrogen Projects, Worries Grow That Some Will Endanger Public Health
by
Molly Peterson
Anatomy of an Investigation
‘sweat and blood … and even death’
by Public Health Watch
Two years ago, Public Health Watch’s editor-in-chief got a tip about an unpublicized silicosis epidemic among immigrant workers in the LA area. He quickly grasped
what a huge story this was.
environment
Long-Delayed Permit for LA-Area Lead Smelter Will Tighten Enforcement, Regulators Say. Plant Neighbors Aren’t So Sure.
by
Molly Peterson
workplace
Federal Crackdown on Silica Dust Begins as Mining Industry Sues to Block It
by
Justin Hicks/Kentucky Public Radio, and Howard Berkes/Public Health Watch
environment
Lawmakers Take Aim at Community Air Monitoring in Louisiana. Are Other States Next?
by
Terry L. Jones/Floodlight
medicaid expansion: ‘the holdouts’
East Texas County Fights a Bitter Battle Over a Reborn Hospital
by
Kathryn Jones
workplace
Federal Mine Safety Regulators Finally Focus on Silica Dust — With Thousands Of Miners Sick And Dying
by
Howard Berkes
and
Justin Hicks
environment
Who’s Polluting My Neighborhood? New Database Makes Searching for Chemical, Climate Data Faster, Easier
by
Savanna Strott
medicaid expansion: ‘the holdouts’
Thousands Die From Opioid Overdoses in Florida Each Year. Medicaid Expansion Could Lessen the Toll, Experts Say.
by
Kim Krisberg
and
Stephanie Colombini
radio reports
Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Can Be Dangerous for Those Who Need Opioid Addiction Medications
by
Stephanie Colombini
The Possible Impact of Medicaid Expansion — and Effects of Medicaid Unwinding — on Florida’s Opioid Addiction Care
by
Stephanie Colombini
environment
‘Breakthrough’ Study Ties Microplastics to Strokes, Heart Attacks
by
Jim Morris
toxic texas air
New Report Calls Houston Ship Channel a ‘Racial Sacrifice Zone’ for Human Rights
by
Savanna Strott
Video: Nueva Historia de Univision 45 Sobre la Crisis de Benceno en Channelview
by
Univision Houston
commentary
Insurance Coverage for Obesity Treatment Is Long Overdue
by
Lisa Doggett
We’ve been here all along
by
Jim Morris
The Weight of the World on Young Shoulders
by
Lisa Doggett
and
Clara Williams
Toxic Texas Air
Fine Particles Kill Thousands of Texans a Year. It’s Likely to Get Worse.
by
Savanna Strott
The Deadly Toll of Fine-Particle Pollution in Texas
This interactive map shows how fine-particle pollution impacts the health of communities across Texas.
by
Luke Bryan
Link