Gold Sponsors

As birth rates decline in Texas, an initiative to bring midwives into the hospital delivery room is increasing the number of births taking place at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen, hospital officials say.

The details: Texas Health Allen officials launched a partnership with New York-based comprehensive women’s health care provider Diana Health in late 2024 that integrates certified nurse midwives into women’s care before, during and after pregnancy. The hospital saw a 29% increase in births in 2025 compared to the three-year historical average. The partnership also brings other women’s health services offered by Diana Health to the Allen area, including gynecological care and mental health treatment.

Quote of note: “People have a lot of interest in that more hands-on, natural birth but still wanting the safety nets and the resources of a hospital,” said Kari McCord, chief nursing officer at Texas Health’s Allen hospital. “We’re able to provide that.”

Mom's Cafe is now open in Allen, owner Gilbert Romero said.

The details: Romero also owns the original location of Mom's Cafe in Carrollton, he said. The restaurant offers breakfast and lunch items including pancakes, French toast, eggs benedict, fried catfish, sandwiches, burgers, black-eyed peas, collard greens and more.

“Everybody loves the atmosphere,” Romero said. “It just feels like home. We renovated it and made it [feel] more like going to a grandmother's house to go eat comfort food.”

• 602 E. Main St., Ste. A, Allen

In Texas, 246 of the state’s 254 counties are designated by the federal government as “mental health professional shortage areas,” meaning local law enforcement are often tasked with responding to mental health crisis calls.

The situation: All Texas peace officers are required to complete crisis intervention and deescalation trainings, according to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

What's happening: Across Community Impact’s coverage areas, some city and county law enforcement agencies are partnering with local mental health professionals to respond to crisis calls. However, law enforcement and criminal justice leaders from smaller communities told state legislators July 7 that they have “limited tools” to effectively respond to mental health calls and help people in crisis.

“We do not have any inpatient mental health facilities in my county—we've never had that, and we've needed them for decades,” Comal County Criminal District Attorney Jennifer Tharp said July 7. “We originally started out sending individuals to the San Antonio area, and right now we are transporting individuals for inpatient treatment to North Austin.”