Harris County contends with shortage of mental health workers despite landmark state investment
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This article was originally published in Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Research’s Urban Edge on January 27, 2025.
“The Texas Legislature has made historic, life-saving investments in mental health over the last decade,” Andy Keller, president and CEO of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, told the Texas Tribune. “The 89th legislative session presents an opportunity to build on that commitment.”
During the previous Texas legislative session, $11.6 billion of the state’s $312 billion budget was committed to mental health services. Approximately 1.37% of that $11.6 billion was set aside to account for the mental health workforce shortage. Measures included increasing salaries for mental health workers, with an emphasis on those in cristexs and hospital programs. Texas Senate Bill 532 was also passed, which allowed mental health professionals working in the public sector to apply for student loan repayment programs after three years, instead of five years.
The Mental Health Needs of Harris County 2024 report said the investment “marked a historic milestone by committing unprecedented funding to mental health initiatives.” The report was prepared by the Mental Health Needs Council of Harris County, which includes the Kinder Institute for Urban Research as a member organization.