This week on Fronteras:
· The murder rate had dropped in Mexico, but now it’s going up again.
· Cuts in Texas Medicaid are making it hard for uninsured drug addicts to get rehab
· A San Antonio group finds music instrumental in helping refugees adjust to a new life
· A West Texas hospital promotes a veggie diet in cattle country.
Murders Increasing in Mexico
The murder rate had dropped in Mexico, but now it’s going up again. Drug violence began to decline when President Enrique Peña Nieto took office four years ago, but a recent study shows homicides rose 8 percent from 2014 to 2015. Maureen Cavanaugh of KPBS discussed the findings with David Shirk at the University of San Diego’s Justice in Mexico program. Shirk co-authored the report.
Uninsured Face Tough Odds Getting Into Rehab
Drug overdoses have surpassed car accidents as the number one cause of accidental deaths in the United States. But if you’re uninsured, getting into rehab is not easy, especially in Texas where lawmakers cutback on Medicaid instead of expanding it under the Affordable Care Act. KUT’s Ashley Lopez reports that many with drug problems or mental illness have few options for treatment.
Veggies Versus Beef in Cattle Country
If you’re looking for a hearty meal in Texas cattle country, a big juicy steak may be at the top of the menu. Now a major hospital in West Texas is taking on the state’s iconic ranching industry. Lorne Matalon of Marfa Public Radio reports on the effort to promote a plant based diet instead of a diet built around beef.
Refugees Find Refuge in Music
Refugees who’ve landed in the Alamo City have often escaped war and violence only to find themselves in a new country where it’s not always easy to fit in. Texas Public Radio’s Jack Morgan reports on an organization that’s found a way to make the adjustment easier – through the universal medium of music.