Experts in the News

"Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the sociopolitical climate in the US further fueled anti-immigrant discourse and policies that increased distrust and fear among families with undocumented status,” said Garcini. “It is essential that mental health, medical, and other allied health professionals become aware of the systemic oppression faced by Latino immigrant families, provide culturally competent services, and support policies that would increase equitable access to health services."

Houston Public Media hosted Vivian Ho to discuss her co-authored report that compared price and quality at Houston-area hospitals. It suggested hospitals with a higher cost may not necessarily provide better quality care.

Taxpayers should expect substantial rate and fee increases for at least five to ten years from now amidst Houston budget shortfall according to Diamond. "We're beyond the, 'Can we afford it? Is this a good decision?' This is a, 'We're in a little bit of a crisis, and we have to do this to try to see if we can rebound.'"

“While we focused on the most dangerous areas for our data in this study, the big picture is that the areas of Houston where children were injured by motor vehicles over the last five years are as diverse as the city itself,” Hafeez said. “If we know where the worst areas for kids to walk and bike are, we can improve sidewalks, shared-use paths and crosswalks to create a better environment for all road users.”

"In the Houston area, one of the biggest limiting factors to children using active transportation is the risk of motor vehicle injury," Hafeez wrote. Hazardous road conditions prevent walking and biking and contribute to national rise in childhood obesity and mental health problems.