As Texas focuses on digital literacy for its elder residents, some Japanese cities are gifting low-cost devices to its older population so family can better monitor them.
Terri Langford
Terri Langford is the Tribune's health services reporter based in Austin. Langford is a veteran journalist, having worked at the Florida Times Union, The Associated Press, The Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle, WNYC, Honolulu Civil Beat and Texas Standard/KUT. Langford has a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin. She has covered various city and state agencies, criminal justice and health and human services for the Houston Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News, The Associated Press, WNYC and Texas Standard at KUT.
Texas’ big health priorities — dementia research, food labeling and ivermectin — have hit roadblocks
Priorities for Republican leadership last legislative session have either been stuck in the courts or left to linger in the state rulemaking process.
Court filings: Unsafe homes and a child death still dog Texas’ foster care system amid improvement
The reports note that in recent years, the troubled child welfare system improved caseworker training and caseloads, but unsafe conditions for children persisted.
Texas Supreme Court rejects attempt to block beach closures for SpaceX launches
The state constitution preserves public access to Texas beaches, but it doesn’t give private groups the right to sue to enforce that access, the court ruled.
Texas Children’s Hospital’s detransition clinic to launch this year, will include mental health and endocrinology services
The Houston hospital must set up the facility within 90 days of signing a settlement agreement with the Texas attorney general and and create a list of potential gender affirming patients, according to a document obtained by The Texas Tribune.
500,000 fewer Texans are on SNAP as participation slips nationally
Advocates say the federal government’s new work requirements and immigration crackdown has limited food stamp participation. The state says the recent decline is part of normal fluctuations in enrollment.
Texas Children’s Hospital must create country’s first “detransition clinic” under legal settlement with state
Attorney General Ken Paxton said on Friday that Texas Children’s must also pay $10 million to the state because it illegally provided transgender care to kids.
State asks to continue monitoring Dallas-area foster care contractor until August
The state said EMPOWER needed more time to improve conditions after two children died under the contractor’s care over the years.
Rule that lets Texans obtain out-of-state abortion pills can continue for now, Supreme Court says
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that mifepristone must be obtained in person, a decision the country’s highest court has temporarily blocked.
Texas child abuse investigations over gender-affirming care no longer blocked
The Texas Supreme Court lifted temporary injunctions protecting three families and members of PFLAG, Inc., after CPS cases were dropped.



