Research Library

Houston Mayor John Whitmire just marked 100 days in office. Our latest episode of Baker Briefing features a conversation between Whitmire and fellow Edward M. Emmett on the city’s past and future, hosted in front of a live audience at Baker Hall on April 3, 2024.

Young people in the U.S. face an unprecedented mental health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated rates of depression, anxiety and suicide among adolescents that were already at historically high levels before the pandemic. Since 2020, mental health-related emergency room visits have increased 31% among adolescents while suicide rates among teenagers increased 25%.

Maternal health is widely seen as a key indicator of a society’s overall well-being. Two new reports out of Texas paint a concerning picture. America has the worst maternal death rate of any wealthy nation, and Texas ranks eighth worst state in the nation for maternal mortality. Here, we discuss the scope of the maternal mortality crisis in Texas, how it is unfolding in communities unevenly across the state, and potential policy responses amid broader public concern on maternal health issues.

On January 7, a six-year-old in Newport News, Virginia shot and wounded his teacher. As of 2020, firearm injury is the leading cause of death among children in America. We discuss the public health implications of rising gun violence, the medical community’s response, and which policy interventions can promote community safety.