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…
In our first in a series of white papers on the anticipated impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute sought to examine and project the impacts of COVID-19 on the mental health and substance use disorder (MHSUD)…
Mental health services have always been scarce in Texas’ vast rural stretches. But the pandemic has caused the state to lift restrictions on providing care online or by phone. The coronavirus pandemic has created widespread fear and economic anxiety across…
If you call 911 in certain neighborhoods in Dallas, a licensed specialist at the dispatch center will determine if the call relates to a mental health crisis. If it does, it won’t just be the police that respond to the…
Tens of thousands of Americans have died in the COVID-19 pandemic. This is by far one of the most significant disasters in U.S. history, and the loss of life is unprecedented; now exceeding over 100,000 deaths. COVID-19 is rapidly changing…
Texas is proud to be home to the second largest population of veterans in the country, and we have an obligation to care for those who have served bravely, and the people whose support made that possible. Five years ago…
From lockdowns to unemployment to reopening, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute is taking a deep dive into how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect mental health. President and CEO Andy Keller talks with KERA Radio about the Institute’s research. Listen…
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…
Mental Health Awareness Month is a good time to remember that mental illness is actually a pediatric disease. That’s because half of all mental illnesses emerge by the time a child turns 14, and 75% by the time a person…
By early May 2020, Congress passed four bills in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Substantial funds will flow to health care providers, either directly or through state/local governments. This white paper provides health care related highlights from each bill and…
Youth mental health, already a widespread concern before the pandemic began, is especially vulnerable now. Youth experience unique challenges in processing traumatic events, and the pandemic places those with mental health conditions at particular risk. School closures and social distancing…
In addition to May being Mental Health Awareness Month, May 11-15 is Police Week, with May 15 designated as Peace Officers’ Memorial Day. This coincidence of the calendar illustrates a real fact: the first responders we all trust and depend…
Within the first month of its launch, the state’s new mental health support line received nearly 2,000 calls from Texans in 100 counties who were experiencing fears of getting sick, feelings of isolation from social distancing and anxiety over a…
Mental-health experts are especially worried about the ongoing economic devastation. Research has established a strong link between economic upheaval and suicide and substance use. Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute predictions suggest if unemployment amid the coronavirus pandemic ends up rising…
Every May is designated as Mental Health Awareness Month, but like everything else, this year is far different. Events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have, justifiably, taken center stage in a world that is no longer too sure where to focus…
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 Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) today issued the first in a series of reports analyzing the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first report focuses on how an economic recession could increase rates of mental health…
In April 2020, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI) issued the first in a series of white papers analyzing the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic which focused on how an economic recession could increase rates of mental health…
The toll that the coronavirus pandemic is taking – and will take – on the mental health of frontline responders cannot be overlooked. But what may be most unique about this crisis is how much damage it’s inflicting and will…
Assessments are valuable tools for communities to help take stock of their resources, identify gaps in care, and understand how various systems work or, in some cases, don’t work together. MMHPI develops these assessments for communities seeking to close those…