Elena Rivera
Health ReporterElena Rivera is the health reporter at KERA.
Before joining KERA, Elena covered health in Southern Colorado for KRCC and Colorado Public Radio. Her stories covered pandemic mental health support, rural community health access issues and vaccine equity across the region. She also worked as a daily show producer with Georgia Public Broadcasting and a reporter and host with Blue Ridge Public Radio. She has won awards for arts and culture reporting, podcasting and team coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Colorado from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Elena got her start as a reporter and producer at KBIA, Mid-Missouri’s NPR station. She has a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.
Outside of her public radio work, she serves as a mentor to emerging audio producers and reporters as the captain of the New Voices program with the Association of Independents in Radio (AIR).
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Texas has the highest rate of uninsured kids in the nation. And advocates say it’s only going to get worse as the state continues to check whether people are still eligible for Medicaid.
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Texas has the second-highest rate of new HIV infections in the United States. Medicines like PrEP can prevent HIV, but without insurance, it's hard to find, and afford.
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New data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows Texas had the highest number of infant deaths in the country last year.
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced that Dallas, San Antonio, Houston and Austin will form a new national health innovation network focused on improving patient experiences.
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Native Americans in the United States experience higher rates of mental health issues than their white counterparts. Texas Native Health is expanding mental health services to meet the needs in the state.
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The mass shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets was the 17th mass shooting in Texas this year. Tabatha Gunn is a counselor in Dallas who works with trauma survivors. She says trauma events like this can show up in the way people feel and act, even months later.
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In Texas, many uninsured people can access Medicaid if they get pregnant. But 2 months after giving birth, the coverage ends. Advocates say new moms need a full year, to improve maternal health.
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Texas abortion bans focused attention on the state's already high maternal mortality rate. Proposed legislation could let otherwise uninsured women stay on Medicaid up to a year after childbirth.
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Hours on the phone trying to find a doctor and limited postpartum care are only some challenges pregnant people face. But advocates and birth workers hope this legislative session will extend coverage and address gaps in the system.
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After little movement in the 2021 legislative session, politicians and policy advocates hope there’s more traction on maternal and postpartum health bills this legislative session.