This morning we kicked off Engage & Excel 2022 both virtually and in-person to an enthusiastic audience in Plano, TX. Below are highlights from our morning kickoff and a few of today’s Breakout Sessions—deep dives into some of today’s most…
AUSTIN – Senator Jane Nelson, whose contributions to better mental health policy, particularly for children, have helped Texas vastly improve its mental health care systems, was named the first recipient of The Tom Luce Award for Mental Health Policy Transformation,…
Mental Health Awareness Month is a time when we turn our attention toward the importance of improving mental health care while reducing the stigma associated with it. The mental health needs of people across the state and nation are growing…
AUSTIN – Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute President and CEO Andy Keller, PhD, presented invited testimony to the Texas House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Article II, Thursday morning about the significant mental health impacts of COVID-19. He also addressed the…
The devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic on mental health in our country — from anxiety to depression to suicide — will require a robust response from federal, state and local officials. As the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in…
When the Texas Legislature convenes in January, there will be no shortage of coronavirus-related issues demanding action, from the many hours of lost instructional time for our students to a surge in Texans who have lost their businesses or their…
Today Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) President and CEO Andy Keller issued the following statement regarding the preservation of behavioral health funding levels amidst agency budget reductions: “Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Patrick, and Speaker Bonnen have wisely preserved funding…
The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute and The Hackett Center for Mental Health are working with providers, advocates, and state leaders who remain focused on the well-being of Texas children, despite the pandemic. Well in advance of this current crisis,…
The Paso del Norte Health Foundation recently awarded Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso a $165,000 grant to assist with the launch of a program to improve mental health care for children and adolescents in the El Paso…
Texas State Senator Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, served as a panelist this week at the White House Summit on Transforming Mental Health Treatment to Combat Homelessness, Violence, and Substance Abuse to discuss innovative ways Texas is addressing mental health challenges.…
The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) today applauded Gov. Greg Abbott’s signing of SB 11 and HB 18, historic legislation which will improve access to effective mental health care from the family doctor, provide real-time help to families and…
The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) applauded the final passage of SB 11, which will improve access to mental health care from the family doctor, expand the mental health workforce, and provide real-time help to families and schools for…
The Hurricane Harvey Registry revealed something researchers have known for decades: natural disasters contribute to mental health problems. The registry’s recently announced initial findings showed nearly two-thirds of respondents experienced Harvey-related mental health difficulties, particularly symptoms of posttraumatic stress.
On June 26, Sen. Jane Nelson announced plans for legislation to strengthen the state’s mental health system. This included creating a consortium to help coordinate state mental health initiatives across health-related institutions of higher education, and establishing the Child Psychiatry…
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Loan Repayment Program for Mental Health Professionals is currently accepting applications for student loan repayment assistance. The funds are available for certain eligible mental health professionals providing care to Texans in underserved areas.…
This Veterans Day, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute honors the men and women who served our country, and, especially, their families. We also want to recognize the Texas Legislature and our state leaders, especially State Senator Jane Nelson, for…
Okay to Say™, a community-based awareness campaign committed to expanding the conversation around mental health issues, recognized Texas State Representative Garnet Coleman with the inaugural Okay to Say Leadership Award for his dedication and tireless efforts in furthering the conversation…
The Institute’s first year solidly established its leadership and team infrastructure, priorities, and reputation as a trusted resource. Its second year concentrated on statewide policy work, community engagement projects, and the launch of Okay to Say™ – a grassroots movement to talk openly about mental illness and eliminate barriers that stand in the way of people getting care for a treatable disease.
“Okay to Say,” a statewide initiative aimed at ending the stigma surrounding mental health issues and to provide resources to those in need, officially launched in Amarillo today at a luncheon designed to rally support from local stakeholders, political figures…
The Texas Health and Human Service Commission (HHSC) recently named the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) administrator of Texas Veterans + Family Alliance, a pilot-phase grant program established by Senate Bill 55 during the 84th legislative session. For years,…