Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council Launches Redesigned Mental Health Resources Website
AUSTIN – To better serve Texans seeking mental or behavioral health assistance, the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council is launching its redesigned Mental Health Texas website, mentalhealthtx.org, linking people to available local resources in one website.
“By redesigning our one-stop shop for behavioral health resources we’re speeding up the process for Texans to access the services they need,” said Sonja Gaines, HHS deputy executive commissioner for Intellectual and Developmental Disability and Behavioral Health Services. “Helpful behavioral health services exist across more than 20 state-funded agencies in addition to other behavioral health resources and this website brings those critical resources together in one place.”
This online resource is available for people seeking mental health and substance use disorder services, crisis hotline numbers, local mental health authorities, as well as information about common behavioral health conditions and social services from multiple government agencies. Behavioral health resources related to the COVID-19 pandemic are also available on the website.
“When someone is in the midst of crisis, the last thing they need is to feel overwhelmed by where to go for help,” said State Sen. Jane Nelson. “The newly updated mentalhealthtx.org will help Texans quickly locate the care they need.”
Enhancements to the website include guidance to people seeking help for themselves or loved ones on selecting the right provider and access to resource documents and provider trainings. New content also features information on common topics such as suicide, bipolar disorder, anxiety, psychosis, trauma, substance use, depression, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Additionally, the behavioral health information and resources are organized in a user-friendly format by population groups: children, teens, veterans, and seniors. In addition to resources, the website contains a calendar of behavioral health public events.
“The most important feature of this website is its capacity for hosting the resources of so many organizations, ensuring easier access to behavioral health resources in a way that respects the rich diversity of our great state,” said Danette Castle, CEO of the Texas Council of Community Centers.
The site was launched by the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council to provide a single place to learn about behavioral health services available through the council’s member agencies.
For more information, visit mentalhealthtx.org.
About the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council
In 2015, the Texas Legislature established the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council to ensure a strategic approach to providing behavioral health services throughout Texas. SBHCC is comprised of representatives of 23 state agencies and institutions of higher education that receive state funding for behavioral health services.