Austin, TX
Behavioral health center in West Texas need support from Austin
My cousin Daryl was funny, kind and generous — but at 37, when he needed lifesaving behavioral health care, his options were limited and insufficient.
Daryl was my older cousin who made my childhood in Midland memorable. Despite being a popular 14-year-old, Daryl was never too cool to play with his younger cousins. One memory that makes me smile is when he taught me my left from my right while playing Twister. I was confused about where to place my hands and feet, and at one point, Daryl paused the game and theatrically pointed left and right. He shouted, “Left, left,” then, abruptly, “RIGHT!” His animated antics made me laugh, turning an embarrassing moment into a lighthearted one. After that day, I never confused my left with my right again.
Throughout his too-short life, Daryl retained his warm humor and deep love for his family, even as his health declined. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 25, Daryl suffered from diabetic nerve pain and turned to controlled substances for relief. Over time, he developed substance use disorder (SUD), causing his already fragile health to deteriorate further. For over five years, Daryl cycled in and out of hospitals, battling pain, substance abuse and, eventually, depression. His chronic illnesses made steady employment and health insurance difficult to maintain.
Lacking coverage, his options for the inpatient treatment he needed in Midland were nearly nonexistent — an all-too-common reality. Nationwide, over a third of people with a mental health condition also experience substance use disorder, but fewer than 19% receive treatment for both. In Daryl’s case, the closest inpatient facility able to help him was hours away. Without that care, Daryl succumbed to his illnesses at age 37.
Tragedies like this may soon become history in Midland.
Opening in April 2026, the Permian Basin Behavioral Health Center will provide a vital treatment resource for West Texas – one that might have saved Daryl’s life had it been available when he needed it most.
Midland and Ector County hospital districts will co-manage the 200-bed facility, providing inpatient treatment, court-ordered evaluations and family counseling services. Notably, the center will accept patients regardless of insurance status, filling a major gap in care for the region’s 500,000 residents.
The center will also create career opportunities for behavioral health professionals at a time when workforce recruitment and retention plague our health systems. Even before its doors open, the Permian Basin Behavioral Health Center has already partnered with local colleges including the University of Texas Permian Basin, Midland College, Odessa College and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center to train and build out the next generation of our homegrown healthcare workforce.
Under the leadership of Reps. Tom Craddick and Brooks Landgraf, the Legislature approved more than $126 million to help build the facility. The center’s leadership raised an additional $100 million to make the facility a reality.
Even before it opens, the center is a success story — a testament to the commitment of state legislators and community leaders. But a state-of-the-art facility alone isn’t enough.
To truly fulfill its promise, the center must have the funding to staff its beds and provide lifesaving care in the Permian Basin. Texas lawmakers now have a critical opportunity to ensure that happens. As the conference committee members from the House and Senate meet to finalize next biennium’s budget, securing operational funding must be a top priority before the session concludes in June.
Families like mine across Texas have lost loved ones because behavioral health care was too far away or too limited. Investing in behavioral health is not only compassionate, it’s also smart policy that saves money, eases the burden on our emergency rooms and law enforcement and — most important — saves lives.
Daryl’s death at 37 years old was a preventable tragedy. Had he received the care he needed, he might still be here. Our new center is a victory, but a building alone isn’t sufficient. We must ensure our investment has the resources and staff it needs to make a difference.
Texas lawmakers should fund the Permian Basin Behavioral Health Center as an investment in the lives of those who need care and in the community that supports them.
Miriam Pearsall is chief of staff for policy at Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute.
Austin, TX
UT Austin College of Pharmacy Leads Texas in New U.S. News Rankings
U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 rankings for colleges, universities and higher education programs across the United States. The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy ranked No. 8 in the nation and remains the top pharmacy school in Texas.
UT Austin earned a 4.2 on a 1-5 scale. Respondents represented schools and programs offering Doctor of Pharmacy degrees accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).
“As the link between patients and medicine,” says U.S. News & World Report, “pharmacists must be experts on prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, understanding use, side effects and interactions.” Texas Pharmacy continues to rank among the nation’s best, remaining rigorously competitive among peer institutions.
“Our students, alumni, faculty and staff are proud to be among the leading colleges of pharmacy in the country,” says Samuel M. Poloyac, Pharm.D., Ph.D., dean of The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy and James T. Doluisio Regents Chair. “We strive for excellence and impact as we shape the future of our profession through innovative care for our communities and groundbreaking health discoveries.”
View the Best Pharmacy Schools rankings to see how UT Austin stacks up against its peer institutions.
Austin, TX
Aaliyah Crump plans to transfer from Texas: report
AUSTIN (KXAN) — According to a report by On3Sports, Texas freshman guard Aaliyah Crump will enter the transfer portal.
On3’s Talia Goodman reported Monday that Crump is headed out of Austin, leaving head coach Vic Schaefer without one of the most coveted recruits of the 2025 class.
Crump averaged 17.4 minutes per game over 24 games played this season, missing almost the entire nonconference schedule with a foot injury. She scored 7.9 points per game, with a high of 18 against Texas Southern on Nov. 16, and about one steal per game.
She was one of Texas’ top perimeter shooting threats, making 23 of 73 3-point attempts for 32%.
Crump, a 6-foot-1 guard from Minnetonka, Minnesota, will have three seasons of eligibility left. She was ranked as the No. 5 recruit in her class by ESPN, and she was on the Team USA U16 squad that won gold at the FIBA Americas Championships in 2023.
Aaliyah Moore, who missed the entire season after having surgery on both knees, also intends to transfer from the Longhorns.
Austin, TX
Austin City Council members ask to begin process of renaming Cesar Chavez Street
AUSTIN, Texas — Some members of the Austin City Council are calling on the city manager to develop a plan for renaming Cesar Chavez Street after allegations of sexual abuse came out against the late labor leader earlier this year.
According to a memo on Friday to City Manager T.C. Broadnax, José Velásquez, Vanessa Fuentes, José “Chito” Vela and Zohaib “Zo” Qadri requested Broadnax develop a community outreach plan to gather input and assess the cost to the city, residents and businesses on renaming the street.
“The City of Austin is committed to upholding the dignity and safety of all people and affirms its unwavering support to survivors of sexual violence,” the memo said.
The council members outlined how the outreach plan should be developed and what should be included.
For the development of the plan, council members asked Broadnax to do the following steps:
- Work with the Equity Office, Transportation and Public Works Department, and other appropriate departments as needed.
- Engage Latino Community Leaders, labor unions, City Commissions and residents, businesses, neighborhood associations located on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
- Assess estimated renaming costs to the city.
- Assess estimated renaming costs to residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
- Follow additional guidelines provided by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).
And the council members said the outreach plan should include:
- A series of hybrid listening sessions with at least two in-person sessions and one virtual session.
- An online survey for the public.
- A stakeholder survey for residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street to understand the impacts of renaming the street.
The council members requested that Broadnax come up with a report by May 26 that included a plan, cost estimates and a proposed timeline for the renaming, according to the memo.
César Chávez was known for his work with the farmworker movement and co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers of America, with Dolores Huerta. Huerta said she was one of the young women and girls who were groomed and sexually abused by Chávez, which resulted in two pregnancies. She gave birth to the two children and sent them to live with other families.
In her statement, Huerta said she did not know about the other women and girls and that she stayed silent for 60 years because she worried that her coming forward would hurt the farmworker movement.
Other Texas cities have already distanced themselves from Chávez. In Fort Worth, the city removed the street toppers that honored Chávez.
The Cesar E. Chavez Legacy & Educational Foundation — the foundation that hosted the nation’s largest César Chávez march in San Antonio for 29 years — announced it will soon dissolve. The City of San Antonio moved the Cesar Chavez city holiday to Good Friday, and it is requesting the public’s feedback on renaming César E. Chávez Boulevard.
Also, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has directed all public schools to suspend any instruction or activities related to Chávez.
Chávez died on April 23, 1993, at the age of 66.
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