MHDD
Board Members Appointed
Mr. Charles Blankenship,
Vice-Chairman of Hill Country MHDD
Centers (Hill Country) recently
swore in Hill Country board members
to their new terms of office.
Hill Country provides mental health,
developmental disability, early
childhood intervention, and
substance use services to a nineteen
county area of the greater Texas
Hill Country. Board members
are appointed for two year terms to
represent a single county or
multiple counties, based on
population. Hill Country’s board
consists of nine individuals
appointed by their respective county
officials.
Board members beginning new two-year
terms as of September 1, 2011
are: Commissioner John Kight
(Chairman) representing Bandera and
Kendall counties; Judge Jim Barden
(Secretary/Treasurer) representing
Medina County; Judge Pat Tinley
representing Kerr County, Judge Herb
Senne representing Kinney, Real
& Uvalde Counties; and Judge
Laura Allen representing Val Verde
County. Other board members
beginning the second year of their
two-year appointments are: Mr.
Charles Blankenship (Vice-Chairman)
representing Hays County; Judge
Wayne Brascom representing Blanco,
Gillespie, and Llano counties;
Commissioner Donna Eccleston
representing Comal County; and Judge
Nick Gallegos representing Edwards,
Kimble, Mason, Menard, Schleicher
and Sutton counties.
With an annual operating budget of
approximately $32 million, Hill
Country, headquartered in Kerrville,
contracts with the Texas Department
of State Health Services, the Texas
Department of Aging and Disability
Services, the Texas Correctional
Office on Offenders with Mental and
Medical Impairments, the Texas
Department of Family and Protective
Services, the Texas Department of
Assistive and Rehabilitative
Services, and the Texas Veterans
Commission to provide a broad range
of community treatment options for
individuals who are suffering from
mental illness, developmental
disabilities, or substance
use. In the last year, Hill
Country provided services to more
than 10,000 individuals from its
nineteen county service area.
“We are committed to providing
quality services locally to
individuals suffering from mental
illness, developmental disabilities,
and substance use. All of our
services focus on promoting
independence, community integration
and recovery. It is an honor
and privilege to work with a
dedicated board committed to
providing efficient and effective
services to our citizens who have
the greatest need.” said Linda
Werlein, Chief Executive Officer of
Hill Country.
For more information on Hill Country
and the services they provide, visit
their website at
www.hillcountry.org.
