Texas Awards Millions For Mental Health

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission today announced it is awarding up to $27.5 million in grant funds through two programs that support mental health services and projects for Texas.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission today announced it is awarding up to $27.5 million in grant funds through two programs that support mental health services and projects for Texas.

Up to $12.5 million will be awarded through the Mental Health Grant Program for Justice-Involved Individuals, and up to $15 million is being awarded for the Community Mental Health Grant Program.

Mental Health Grant Program for Justice-Involved Individuals

As part of the first phase of the state’s Mental Health Grant Program for Justice-Involved Individuals, up to $12.5 million in grant funds will go to 12 local mental health authorities and one local behavioral health authority. The funds will be used to establish, continue, or expand programs to help people with mental illness receive services and supports needed to address mental health issues outside of the criminal justice system and reduce wait time for people committed to a state hospital.

Sen. Joan Huffman’s Senate Bill 292 established the Mental Health Grant Program for Justice-Involved Individuals and provides $37.5 million in state funds over the 2018-19 biennium to be matched by grantees with local and private funds. An additional round of funding will be announced for fiscal year 2019.

Funding through the grant was awarded through an application process, which required a project proposal. Grant awardees are required to match a portion of the state’s grant award to demonstrate their communities’ commitment to addressing the mental health needs of individuals involved in the criminal justice system and to increasing their access to mental health treatment and services.

The following organizations have been selected to receive funding for this phase of the grant program and will begin providing services in the counties listed pending execution of contracts: 

• Central Counties – Bell County
• Center for HealthCare Services – Bexar County
• Denton County MHMR Center – Denton County
• Emergence Health Network – El Paso County
• Gulf Coast Center – Galveston County
• Integral Care – Travis County
• LifePath Systems – Collin County
• North Texas Behavioral Health Authority – Dallas County
• SpindleTop Center – Jefferson County
• StarCare Specialty Health System – Lubbock county
• My Health My Resources of Tarrant County – Tarrant County
• Texana Center – Fort Bend County
• Tri-County Behavioral Healthcare – Montgomery County
• Tropical Texas Behavioral Health – Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties

Community Mental Health Grant Program

As part of the first phase of HHSC’s Community Mental Health Grant Program, up to $15 million in grant funds will go to 23 local mental health authorities and two local behavioral health authorities located across the state.

Rep. Four Price’s House Bill 13 established the Community Mental Health Grant Program and provides $30 million in state funds over the 2018-19 biennium to be matched by grantees with local and private funds.

“I am pleased to see HHSC’s implementation of these two vitally important mental health bills which will benefit many Texans statewide. I am also grateful for all who assisted in the successful passage of these bills — my colleagues, especially those from the House Select Committee on Mental Health, the many mental health advocates, and my able staff,” said Rep. Four Price.

Grants will fund community programs to expand treatment, promote recovery, and improve quality of life for individuals with mental illness. Examples of expanded treatment and services include adding licensed chemical dependency counselors and peers to mobile crisis outreach teams and establishing drop-in centers for individuals experiencing crisis as an alternative to the emergency room or hospitalization.

Funding through the grant was awarded through an application process, which required a project proposal. Grant awardees are required to match a portion of the state’s grant award to demonstrate their commitment to addressing the mental health needs of individuals living in their communities.

The following organizations have been selected to receive funding for this phase of the grant program and will begin providing services in the proposed counties listed pending execution of contracts:

• Andrews Center Behavioral Healthcare Center – Smith, Henderson, VanZandt, Wood and Raines counties
• Betty Hardwick Center – Taylor, Jones, Callahan, Shackelford and Stephens counties
• Bluebonnet Trails – Williamson and Gonzalez counties
• Border Region Behavioral Health Center – Zapata, Jim Hogg and Starr counties
• Burke Center – Angelina, Houston, Jasper, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity and Tyler counties
• Camino Real Community Services – Atascosa, Dimmit, Frio, Karnes, LaSalle, Maverick, McMullen, Wilson, and Zavala counties
• Center for Health Care Services – Bexar County
• Center for Life Services – Brown County
• Community Healthcore – Bowie and Cass counties
• Gulf Bend Center – Goliad, Refugio, Jackson, Calhoun, Lavaca, Dewitt and Victoria counties
• Harris Center – Harris County
• Helen Farabee Regional MHMR Center – Young County
• Hill Country Center – Comal County
• Integral Care – Travis County
• LifePath Systems – Collin County
• MHMR Authority of Brazos Valley – Brazos County
• MHMR Services for the Concho Valley – Tom Green, Crockett, Coke, Irion, Concho, Sterling and Regan counties
• My Health My Resource Tarrant County – Tarrant County
• North Texas Behavioral Health Authority – Dallas, Hunt, Ellis, Rockwall, Kaufman and Navarro counties
• Pecan Valley Centers – Johnson, Parker, Hood, Erath, Palo Pinto and Somervell counties
• StarCare Specialty Health System – Lubbock County
• Texas Panhandle – Potter and Randall counties
• Texoma Center – Cooke, Fannin and Grayson counties
• Tri-County Services – Montgomery County
• West Texas Centers – Howard County

For more information on accessing behavioral health services in Texas, please visit https://MentalHealthTX.org/.