In Union County, North Carolina, the political climate is stirring up anxiety among voters.

The national licensing board announced it will consider folding the proposed skills test into an existing exam amid worries the additional hurdle would discourage applicants.

Lawmakers and child care centers are pushing for a statewide mental health system for toddlers.

Authorities are piecing together what led up to a murder-suicide in north Harris County

Tra' Slaughter will sell fine pieces and raise money for StellaNova at Hardy and Nance Studios

Recent data from the CDC highlights a troubling trend: Both teenage boys and girls are reporting increased mental health challenges, including experiences of violence and suicidal thoughts.

Texas hasn’t increased Medicaid rates for inpatient health care at private hospitals in 16 years, falling behind other states.

The family of 36-year-old Marine veteran Juan Merlos, who disappeared from Cut and Shoot, Texas, on August 20, is desperately searching for him.

A program in Harris County is working to heal the emotional wounds of children and teens in their care. Their juvenile probation department's campus in Seabrook has partnered with the Houston Humane Society, airing animals in need, with young people also yearning for acceptance, connection, and healing from past traumas.

Other states look to Texas as the state psychology board pushes against the new national licensing requirements.

Dr. Shana D. Lewis, a licensed professional counselor and wellness coach, wants busy parents to know it’s ok to take a break and focus on yourself for a change. She recently shared some tips to help anyone power through stress on “Houston Life.”

17-year-old Joscey works with her doctors, a physical therapist and a pain psychologist to control her chronic pain which started when she was 12 years old. It left her unable to attended school, she couldn’t walk and had to give up her favorite sport basketball.

The service is free for students, and paid for by the school system

As we go back to school a lot of focus turns to children’s wellbeing and mental health. According to the CDC, anxiety and depression affect almost 10% of kids 3 to 17 years old.

New developments are emerging in the effort to help millions of people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, including our veterans.

Future Texas therapists must complete internships to start their careers, but there’s not enough providers to mentor all of the students.

Health care contractor Turn Key serves nearly 70 counties across Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Colorado, Kansas and Montana.

Harris County Judge Kelli Johnson was taken to a mental health facility Thursday evening after she allegedly became combative with authorities during a welfare check at her home, sources confirmed with KPRC 2 Investigates.

Under a Harvard Medical School pilot program, church members and leaders will work as interns before counseling on their own, referring more serious cases to medical providers.

A guide to some of the professions that make up the mental health workforce.

KPRC 2 Investigates looks into the tragic story of Robin Puryear, whose death might be tied to suicide, shedding light on the importance of suicide prevention. We are stressing the need to recognize warning signs and reach out for help through resources like the national crisis hotline, 988.

Houston has not been known for being immune to severe weather events, but we've always prided ourselves on community resilience, and ongoing struggles like power outages and severe weather events are putting them to the test.

County jails are often referred to as the largest mental health facility in the area.

Fifth Ward native Sheletta Brundidge returned to her hometown to raise awareness about the importance of interior door locks for families who have children with special needs.

As Houston experiences an intensifying heat wave, the elevated temperatures can lower serotonin levels, leading to increased irritability and stress.

The construction begins after lawmakers have allocated $2.5 billion to modernize and increase access to inpatient psychiatric care in Texas.

How can we possibly keep up with all these challenges at the same time and keep our children safe during the summer break when many of us have to work and not stay as vigilant on our children?

We're all guilty of scrolling mindlessly on social media, but in light of the U.S. Surgeon General calling for a warning label on social media apps as you'd find on a cigarette box, it warrants some self-reflection.

While primary care is experiencing its own workforce shortage, the profession is shouldering more mental health screenings to help bridge the behavioral health provider gap.

Thousands of people are discharged from Texas mental health hospitals yearly, and so-called step-down programs like clubhouses can help them integrate back into the community.

The state’s flood plan shows which Texans are most at risk of flooding and suggests billions of dollars more are needed for flood mitigation projects.

Since 2019, accidental drug deaths have been rising in Texas, with the number tripling in Travis County.

The facility has 240 single-person rooms, a basketball gym and outdoor courtyards. It’s part of a $2.5 billion overhaul of the state’s mental health hospital system.

The mental health workforce shortage is more acute in rural areas, adding to rising patient loads in hospital ERs.

Following the tragic discovery of the body of Kay-Alana Turner, a woman who may have been experiencing a mental health crisis and fled from deputies, a dialogue has ignited regarding interactions with individuals facing similar challenges during mental health crises.

Prosecutors say Gwendolyn Gibbs, 72, the owner of Daybreak Rehabilitation Center, submitted fake claims to Medicare from 2007 until 2016 by pretending her patients were sicker than they really were.

According to the American Psychological Association, more than one in five people believe their work environment has harmed their mental health. #WorkplaceWellness #MentalHealthAwareness

More than 40% of the state’s population is Hispanic, but its mental health provider population is more than 80% white.

The court re-sentenced Gallo to life in prison for the murder of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter.

Faced with a nagging mental health provider shortage, the state psychologists’ licensing board is looking into whether the state should devise its own exam to get professionals licensed more quickly.

Many independent school districts, including the largest ones, do not allow chaplains to serve as counselors, which is now allowed under a new Texas law.

Family violence incidents are being reported at an alarming rate in the Houston area.

Many Texas faith groups have offered counseling services in the past. But more of them are expanding their programs, partnering with providers, to help meet the growing need here for mental health services.

Diversion programs offer an alternative to prison sentencing. However, certain qualifications must be met.

Information-rich public libraries are using their websites and facilities to address the ever-increasing demand for counseling, housing and substance abuse services.

One in eight kids is estimated to be suffering from anxiety.

Stephanie Tsuru and Katie Tsuru created a colorful co-working space in the Lower Heights District in Houston. In the process, they've helped hundreds of other women find community and empowerment.

A woman, Genesse Moreno, was the shooter, endangering her own son. The crime has many wondering how can a person get to this point?

As the investigation continues in Sunday’s Lakewood Church shooting, questions still remain about Genesse Moreno’s past, including a documented mental history.

Each year, one in five children in the US experience a mental health disorder, and about 247 billion dollars is spent on treatment and management of these conditions. Ivanhoe explains how to talk to your child about their emotional health.

Are you suffering from depression? A Houston area clinic is showing how ketamine therapy can be used to treat patients who have tried other methods that were not successful.

Dr. Shana D. Lewis, a licensed professional counselor, executive coach and international speaker, shares her best advice for setting and keeping goals for 2024.

A lack of private providers, a swamped community mental health system, and low insurance reimbursement have cut off many in Texas from basic mental health services.

A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showed a new record for people using firearms in suicides. Texas gun safety and mental health advocates say the report highlights a need for gun laws the state does not have.

The holidays can be an exciting and joyous time for people who look forward to them, but for some, the holidays can bring on bouts of depression and sadness.

Holidays can be a stressful time of the year, but wellness coach Dr. Shana D. Lewis has tips on minimizing holiday stress.

Department leaders say they recognize that post-traumatic stress and other mental health issues are among the biggest dangers of the job.

The region that includes Amarillo, a Panhandle city of more than 200,000 people, and surrounding towns has long been a mental health care desert. Officials hope a new $159 million hospital can help reduce a massive spike in suicide attempts.

I think it’s safe to say that we’re all a little bit anxious these days.

Tyler Langdon made a big yawn as the judge spoke during his first court appearance.

Family violence incidents are being reported at an alarming rate in the Houston area.

After the release of her most recent song, Cobra, one Houston native has found herself trending again after she shed a unique light on what it means to use your public platform to share awareness about mental health.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo discussed top agenda items and took questions during the commissioners’ court lunch break.

Miranda Michel, 26, couldn’t leave the state for an abortion. But she also couldn’t bear the idea of carrying a nonviable pregnancy to term.

Mental Health is fast becoming one of the greatest public health challenges of our time, especially for young people. The city of Houston is taking a unique approach to make sure young people have support and resources when they need help.

Like many regions in Texas, the county jails and hospitals have been at capacity with people needing mental health help. Local leaders hope a new 200-bed facility will alleviate pressure.

Your child may not recognize they’re struggling with mental health and they may not feel comfortable turning to an adult to figure it out.

Khambrel Marshall discusses President Joe Biden’s impeachment inquiry.

Panetti murdered his in-laws in 1992. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2007 set new court precedent with his case, raising the bar on the constitutional restriction against executing the insane.

Megan Thee Stallion is encouraging her fans to check in on their mental health.

Our students have so much more access to technology, to social media. It’s led to feelings of loneliness and hopelessness on a level we’ve never seen before.

The county’s top elected official will be discharged from a mental health facility this weekend and plans to return to work on Oct. 2 after two weeks of outpatient therapy.

Harris County Judge Hidalgo will transition from residential care to outpatient care on Saturday, according to a news release from her team.

Did you know that about one in four women and nearly one in 10 men have experienced sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime?

A Dallas-based organization is turning their pain into purpose by advocating for prevention on a topic that hits close to home for them.

Students are well-informed about school safety and they probably have more opinions than you may know.

Historically, anti-drug messaging in schools has failed to acknowledge the mental health reasons that youth self-medicate. Without that key lesson, advocates worry House Bill 3908 will be another D.A.R.E. campaign.

A retired lawmaker offered words of support for Judge Lina Hidalgo during Tuesday’s Harris County commissioner’s court meeting. This was the first meeting since Hidalgo announced she was taking a leave of absence to seek treatment for clinical depression.

Hidalgo said she was diagnosed with the condition last month and aims to return to her post in September. More people across the country have been diagnosed with the condition since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said Monday that she is temporarily stepping away from her elected position and has checked herself into an inpatient facility where she is receiving treatment for clinical depression.

From unrealistic academic expectations to the pressure of portraying the perfect life on social media, teens today are overloaded with stress and in many cases, it’s leading to significant and serious mental health issues.

Galveston County is set to open a new mental health crisis center in 2024.

The thought of death can trigger anxiety for most people. However, at one nonprofit, life and death are embraced.

Dr. Lindsay Sillas with The Woman’s Hospital of Texas said it’s common for women’s mental health to be impacted after childbirth.

The mother of the inmate who died over the weekend said her son had mental issues that the jail knew about, and he was being bullied after being placed in general population.

Austin-based VA Claims Insider says it has helped hundreds of thousands of clients. It has also touched off complaints and investigations.

Neighborhood apps make it easy to be plugged into your community by sending notifications on what is happening in your neighborhood or alerting you to an issue.

Pregnant moms on Medicaid will get health care coverage for a year, patients will get more detailed billing and nurses will get help with school loans. But efforts failed to gain steam for legalizing fentanyl test strips, increasing the pool of mental health professionals who accept Medicaid and expanding Medicaid benefits to more Texans.

Over the last decade of diagnosing countless young patients with new psychotic disorders, one striking result has stuck out for a psychiatrist.

According to recent studies -- too much exposure to social media can negatively impact your child's mental health. But as a parent, how do you limit its use?

Opponents fear the bill is a “Trojan horse” for evangelizing kids and will worsen the state’s mental health crisis through disproven counseling approaches.

Wednesday marks exactly a year since a mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde. The community continues to grapple with the trauma and pain, and for those who lost someone that day, they’re determined to keep the memories of their loved ones alive.

Teachers at one school are finding great success with music as a therapy for children with intellectual and developmental differences.

It's ok to talk about mental health. Find out how the Astors Foundation is bringing awareness to this cause.

Federal pandemic aid helped build public school mental health services in Texas. School officials now brace for the expiration of those funds next year. They’re urging lawmakers to create a dedicated funding stream for mental health assistance in schools.

Texas still lags nationally when it comes to mental health services and there have been seven mass shootings since Abbott took office in 2015.

The US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared on Tuesday that loneliness is now an epidemic in America. He says the country is experiencing a crisis of disconnection, and it has costly consequences. Murthy released an advisory

Texas wants to expand mental health services, but many mental health providers do not accept Medicaid because of its lower payment rate.

Texas public schools can allow corporal punishment, which includes hitting, spanking, paddling or deliberately inflicting physical pain to discipline students.

A report from the Migration Policy Institute and the American Academy of Pediatrics details the barriers undocumented children face in the United States.