June 2, 2008

Hill Country Community MHMR Center Awarded $463,831 for Crisis Stabilization Unit

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) announced it is awarding $25 million in new funding to 17 local mental health centers for community-based crisis mental health services.  Hill Country Community MHMR Center, headquartered in Kerrville, has been awarded $463,831 toward the operation of a 16 bed Crisis Stabilization Unit.  The money comes from an $82 million two-year appropriation from the Texas Legislature to improve how public mental health crisis services are provided statewide.

“We appreciate the Legislature’s commitment to developing a more effective response system for Texans dealing with mental health crises,” said Dr. David Lakey, DSHS commissioner.  “the additional money will help people get the best possible care in the best possible setting.”   A total of $21.4 million is being awarded to 14 community mental health centers for two-year projects that will establish or enhance psychiatric emergency service centers or for other facilities that provide alternatives to sending mentally ill patients to hospitals or jails if they can be treated efficiently in more appropriate settings.  In regards to the $463,831 awarded to Hill Country, Representative Harvey Hilderbran stated, “I am excited about the opportunity this funding in conjunction with HB 654 provides for our local community and I look forward to the opening of the Crisis Stabilization Unit to be located in Kerrville.”

Mrs. Werlein, Chief Executive Officer of Hill Country, noted, “This is the culmination of five years of hard work by Representative Hilderbran, Hill Country, and local citizens.  Representative Hilderbran fought long and hard to bring the Crisis Stabilization Unit, a new program, to our community.  The Crisis Stabilization Unit to be operated by Hill Country will help ensure that civil psychiatric bed capacity remains available in our local community.  This project would not have been successful without Representative Hilderbran’s backing and support and we are extremely grateful to him.”

The funding is part of an overall effort to increase access to crisis response services, reduce the need for hospitalizations and provide alternatives to incarceration for those in mental health crises.  Crises may include situations in which people are, or believe they are, suicidal, a danger to others or having significant deterioration due to a mental condition.

Of the $82 million appropriation, DSHS also provided $21 million last fall to 38 local mental health centers to help pay for the first year of crisis hotline improvements, mobile outreach units and other mental health crisis services.  That money also is being used to develop additional crisis services, such as walk-in services, children’s outpatient services or residential services, or to pay for specially trained mental health law enforcement officers.  DSHS will provide $35 million next fiscal year for continuation of these local services.  Of these funds, Hill Country Community MHMR Center received $310,809 last fall for the current year and will receive $370,809 next fall for crisis services.

Hill Country Community MHMR Center provides mental health, mental retardation, substance abuse, and early childhood intervention services throughout a nineteen county area of the greater Texas Hill Country.  For more information on Hill Country and their services, visit www.hillcountry.org.