Texoma leaders participating in local mental health study

On April 30, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute kicked off a Community Mental Health Needs Assessment Study for the Texoma Region, which covers two large counties – Grayson and Fannin. The assessment, a first of its kind for this area, will gather data from health care providers, law enforcement, nonprofit organizations, schools, businesses, the judiciary and city and county leaders.

In terms of bringing the community together, this assessment is already a home run: Fully 35 organizations are part of the Texoma Behavioral Health Leadership Team, the local group commissioning the assessment. This local group commissioned the study after months of local discussion.

MMHPI Vice President of Adult Policy John Petrila said the endeavor reflects a recognition by the community at large that mental illness is an important issue and reflects how the conversation about mental illness has changed. According to Petrila:

A decade ago, it would have been extremely rare to find a community where leaders from across all sectors endorsed the importance of examining local mental health issues. The fact that stakeholders in the Texoma Region are engaged in these discussions illustrates just how important mental health has become as a local issue.

The final report will help the community develop its plan for helping provide better mental health services, and that’s an effort we are proud to be part of. Read more about Texoma, the study, and the community response from the Herald Democrat.