7: The Thriving Texas Families Program and State Support for Maternal Health

Texas has invested $200 million in the Thriving Texas Families program, but what has that investment delivered? Heidi Russell speaks with Elena M. Marks and Anna Chatillon about their evaluation of the program’s transition from the Alternatives to Abortion model and how its funding structure prioritizes non-medical services over clinical care. This conversation was recorded on April 23, 2026. Listen and subscribe on your preferred podcast platform. Learn about the “Child Health Advocacy + Policy” podcast by subscribing to our “Health Beat” newsletter at https://www.bakerinstitute.org/newsletter.   You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.