Minding Houston Episode I: Moving Forward in 2015

Welcome to the 84^th Legislative Session! My name is Bill Kelly, the Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs here at Mental Health America of Greater Houston. With the start of new year comes 140 days of governing, and that means our advocacy will be kicking into high gear.

We invite you to keep up with our work by following our new Legislative Blog, “Minding Houston” where we will share the latest on issues and bill movement. 

I’ve been a Chief of Staff for a State Legislator and worked for the Mayor’s Office at the City of Houston. I’m very proud to work for the issues and policies that Mental Health America of Greater Houston has endorsed and look forward to using this blog to keep you updated on legislative progress.

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[Transcript below]

Since the last Legislative Session ended, there have been a number of press reports about the progress made in Texas in mental health funding. The purpose of this blog is to help keep you updated with what policies Mental Health America of Greater Houston will be working on during 2015 and the stories of real people that these policies impact.

Recently, the Mental Health America of Greater Houston Board has approved series of Legislative Priorities. It is our hope to help tell the stories of how and why policy changes have dramatic impacts for the quality of life for those with loved ones suffering from a mental illness or substance abuse problems. By highlighting our priorities in press stories, we hope to raise the attention of lawmakers and hope they continue their efforts to invest in mental health.

To help set the stage, check out this article from our friends at the Houston Chronicle on July 12th.

Advocates are urging Texas lawmakers to remember the problems in the state’s mental health system after a couple of hearings in which progress on mental health has been cast as one of the Legislature’s greatest recent accomplishments.

Last session’s roughly $350 million increase in funding for mental health and drug abuse services helped reduce the number of Texans on a waiting list for psychiatric treatment from 5,515 last February to 790 this February, including from 1,750 to zero in Harris County, and 194 to 11 among children. The reductions were hailed at a state House Appropriations Subcommittee meeting last month.

“That’s an extraordinary outcome,” said Rep. John Zerwas, R-Richmond, the panel’s chairman.

{…}

Still, Zerwas said the waiting-list reductions represent a “very solid first step.”

“We have made steps forward in the past,” the lawmaker added. “But every time we would make a step forward, we would next time make a step backward. So, a real focus of mine is making sure that we take another major step forward next year.”

This is where we hope to help Rep. Zerwas and the strong bipartisan coalition that wants to reduce the expensive consequences of failing to invest in mental health services. We need to move forward, and we know that we can by showing the solid return on investment that come with funding.

This is Bill Kelly for Minding Houston, a presentation of Mental Health America of Greater Houston.

Music from this episode: “The 3rd” by Anitek and “Looping Guitar Improv in Em” by Steve Combs.