Gov. Rick Perry announced the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is awarding $1.75 million in competitive grants for communities to help veterans find access to treatment, expand trauma therapy services and promote peer support for veterans and their families. This round of grants is the next phase of an initiative announced in November to expand and improve mental health support programs for veterans and their families around the state.
These grants follow the January release of $2.66 million in non-competitive grants provided by DSHS to the state’s 38 local mental health authorities to initiate or expand community-based peer support groups and coordinate community resources, such as housing and employment, for veterans. The total amount of grants provided to date is $4.4 million.
Recipients of the $1.75 million in competitive grants represent areas of the state with high concentrations of military families, and will each receive $175,000 for projects that help veterans and their families find access to treatment. Grants will also be used to expand trauma therapy for veterans, initiate or enhance family-to-family peer services and train veterans to provide peer support. The competitive grant recipients are:
· Center for Health Care Services (serving Bexar County)
· Central Texas Collaborative (20 counties in Central Texas; lead agency is Austin Travis County Integral Care)
· East Texas North Collaborative (41 counties in north East Texas; lead agency is the Andrews Center)
· East Texas South Collaborative (16 counties in south East Texas; lead agency is the Gulf Coast MHMR Center)
· El Paso MHMR Center
· Harris County MHMR Authority
· Hill Country MHMR Center (17 counties in Central Texas)
· Lubbock Regional MHMR Center (five counties in the Lubbock area)
· North Texas Behavioral Health Authority (seven counties in North Texas)
· Tarrant County MHMR Services
Perry Announces an Additional $1.75 Million in Grants for Veterans Mental Health Services
