Stephen Simpson
@Steve55Simpson
"Sir, this is a *digital* newspaper." | Covering mental health and related policy for the @TexasTribune | A University of Central Arkansas alumnus.
Mental health treatment in Texas wasn’t supposed to be this threadbare and challenging. But for many Texans, the mental health system is anything but accessible. In collaboration with the Carter Center read the stories of how Texans are finding treatment texastribune.org/2023/12/22/tex…
This comes while the Senate is in the middle of public hearings for Senate Bill 5, which essentially bans hemp from the public market and adds criminal penalties for possession, manufacturing, and selling of these products.
Gov. Abbott's team told the Tribune the governor supports a ban for those under 21, with a full ban on “extraordinarily dangerous synthetic products.” But wants adults to have legal access to regulated nonintoxicating levels of hemp. texastribune.org/2025/07/22/tex…
Gov. Abbott's team told the Tribune the governor supports a ban for those under 21, with a full ban on “extraordinarily dangerous synthetic products.” But wants adults to have legal access to regulated nonintoxicating levels of hemp. texastribune.org/2025/07/22/tex…
Experts say poison control data don’t specify which calls are related to hemp versus more dangerous K2, but show that most THC poisonings cause minor side effects. texastribune.org/2025/07/22/tex…
U.S. Masters Swimming said in a statement to @TexasTribune today that they were first made aware of the lawsuit Ken Paxton filed against them through a social media post. Story by @a_y_denrunnels. texastribune.org/2025/07/17/tex…
As Texas schools face at least $600 million in federal funding cuts, multiple mental health programs, particularly those implemented in response to the pandemic and mass shootings, are at risk of losing funding. texastribune.org/2025/07/14/tex…
An important conversation on the media’s role in holding institutions accountable after natural disasters. And an important reminder that the media can be held accountable too - we can always do a better job communicating what we’re doing and why.
Roundtable: What’s the media’s role in getting answers about the Fourth of July floods? @eklib and @lmcgaughy joined our show to discuss spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news…
Breaking: State Sen. Angela Paxton announced Thursday she has filed for divorce from her husband, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. bit.ly/4lxqnL6