AUSTIN, Texas — The state of Texas is set to invest millions of dollars into mental health facilities in the state’s rural areas.
On Thursday, Gov. Abbott announced that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission would award $239 million in construction grants to expand access to inpatient mental health care in rural Texas.
The grants will go toward helping rural communities treat and stabilize patients with acute psychiatric illnesses without the need to travel to a major city.
“The State of Texas continues working to expand access to critical mental health resources to ensure Texans get the support they need, no matter where they live,” Abbott said Thursday. “With this $239 million investment, Texas is expanding will expand inpatient mental health services so rural communities and local governments will be able to treat patients with acute psychiatric illnesses closer to home.”
Abbott went on to thank the Texas Legislature and Health and Human Services Commission for focusing on mental health care throughout the state.
The funding will support up to 332 beds for patients in hospitals across four communities:
- $85 million for up to 100 beds at DHR Health in Edinburg.
- $64 million for repairs, renovations and construction to add 72 beds at Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas in Beaumont.
- $50 million to expand the existing Montgomery County Mental Health Treatment Facility in Conroe by up to 100 beds.
- $40 million for a new facility in Victoria County with up to 60 beds.
In the 88th legislative session, funding was approved to construct or expand the four facilities to have at least 50% capacity for forensic patients, who are admitted through the criminal justice system in order to undergo mental health evaluations to see if they are fit to stand trial.