Mental Health America of Greater Dallas
(DALLAS, TX); October 20, 2022 – Mental Health America of Greater Dallas (MHA-Greater Dallas) has released its 2023 State of Mental Health in America Report. This is the 8th consecutive year the organization has released the report, and sadly, Texas’s overall rank continues to be poor at 46th in the country. Although the state ranked 12th for youth with substance use disorder and 20th for the percentage of youth with severe depression, it ranks 50th for uninsured adults with mental health conditions and 50th for workforce availability. And most concerning, Texas ranks 51st on measures of access to mental health care. The access measures include access to insurance, treatment, quality and cost of insurance, and access to special education.
These 2023 numbers are alarming, but there is a reason for hope. Texas is one of the top three states showing a lower prevalence of mental illness in adults and the third lowest for adults with suicidal ideation. Previous mental health initiatives passed in the Texas legislature, like The Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine and the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium, demonstrate that legislators understand the state’s mental health crisis and are willing to put state dollars toward finding solutions. While no data set captures all aspects of a particular mental health system, this 2023 State of Mental Health in America report analyzes the most recent federal data sets and provides a snapshot of Texas’ mental health status for policy and program planning, analysis, and evaluation purposes.
Therefore, in its advocacy role, MHA-Greater Dallas will work with our elected officials and community members on improved mental health care in Texas and makes these recommendations for the 88th Legislative Session:
- Provide sustainable funding for 988 crisis services, including comprehensive community-based care to
prevent crises and for post-crisis care - Dedicate funding for school-based mental health services, including district demonstration grants, technical
assistance leveraging federal Medicaid dollars, and a requirement for mental health spending within school
safety allotments. - Ensure parity enforcement is in place to enable people to receive access to the care that their insurers are
responsible for providing. - Create and implement finance models that:
o Provide increased Medicaid reimbursement rates
o Improve technical assistance for integrated healthcare settings
o Support value-based payments
o Improve workforce pathways with an emphasis on growing peer support providers through new
approaches to licensing, increased wages, and loan repayment support
o Expand one-year post-birth medical assistance to reduce the number of new mom deaths due to
behavioral health—currently the leading cause of death for new moms nationally—and be
impactful in reducing disparities in maternal mortality
o Ensure accountability and transparency within all systems of care
About Mental Health America of Greater Dallas:
Mental Health America of Greater Dallas, founded in 1947, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes mental wellness through community education and policy advocacy. MHA-Greater Dallas serves as a catalyst to identify, assess, and respond to mental health needs in the community. As a facilitator and coordinator for local mental health service providers, MHA-Greater Dallas operates through long-range strategic planning and immediate responses to community crises. In addition to our efforts to supply information, education, and advocacy related to mental health issues, we also provide preventive programs designed to equip high-risk populations (including children, adolescents, the homeless, and the indigent) with information and skills to combat stress and adversity.
CONTACT:
Bonnie Cook
Executive Director
Mental Health America of Greater Dallas
214.871.2420 ext. 109
bcook@mhadallas.org