Mental Health and Substance Abuse

    • About the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division

      The mission of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division (MHSA) of the Texas Department of State Health Services is to improve health and well-being in Texas  by providing leadership and services that promote hope, build resilience, and foster recovery.  Learn more about MHSA »

    • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division Announcements

      The latest announcements and behavioral health items of note from the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division are provided here.  For information and announcements specific to either mental health or substance abuse, you may wish to visit the mental health announcement page or the substance abuse announcement page.

    • Receive Mental Health and Substance Abuse Updates via Email

      The Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division is pleased to offer the option of subscribing to email announcements about changes and updates to selected Division web pages.

    • Mental Health Consumer and Substance Abuse Client Rights

      Individuals seeking help with mental health issues and substance abuse treatment are protected by Texas law. 

    • Groups and Councils

      A variety of special groups, councils, and task forces convene periodically to focus on specific topics related to mental health, substance abuse, or both mental health and substance abuse.

    • Office of Emilie A. Becker, M.D., Behavioral Health Medical Director

      In her role as medical director, Dr. Emilie A. Becker is responsible for the quality of the clinical behavioral health services that DSHS delivers. Specifically, she provides support and guidance to the medical directors at the state hospital facilities. She also consults, advising on behavioral health-care issues, with community mental health centers and local providers of substance abuse services.

    • Services for Children and Adolescents

      Like adults, children and adolescents can have mental health disorders and problems with addiction. Learn more about age-appropriate services, including substance abuse prevention programs »

    • Comprehensive Analysis of Public Behavioral Health System

      The Public Consulting Group is conducting a comprehensive analysis of the public behavioral health system in Texas, as required by DSHS Rider 71, General Appropriations Act, 82nd Texas Legislature. PCG’s efforts will focus on two major components: (1) a comprehensive study of the current public behavioral health system in Texas and (2) short and long term recommendations for the Texas behavioral health system. Please visit the Comprehensive Analysis of Public Behavioral Health System page periodically for updates for opportunities for stakeholder input, or subscribe to our announcement list on this topic to receive an email notification when the page is updated. Learn more about the analysis »

    • Medicaid Services Unit: NorthSTAR and Special Initiatives

      The Medicaid Services Unit is responsible for the management of various projects and programs for the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division.  These projects include the NorthSTAR program, the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) program, Disaster Behavioral Health, and other special projects as assigned.

    • MHSA Quality Management and Compliance

      To ensure the service quality of State’s mental health and addiction programs and processes, the Quality Management and Compliance (QM) Unit of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse (MHSA) Division has developed a quality management plan.

    • Integrated Care

      The 81st Texas Legislature directed the creation of a workgroup in 2009 charged with determining effective ways to achieve integrated health and behavioral health services in Texas. The mission of the workgroup is to improve the health of people with and at-risk for mental illness through expanded access to integrated health care services. Learn more about this workgroup and integrated care »

    • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Information Center

      The Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division Information Center collection includes books, journals, and an extensive video collection that circulates to individuals within Texas to aid them with their instructional training and educational programs as well as providing information to Texas residents through the distribution of pamphlets, posters, and related materials.

    • Public Information and Open Records

      Texas Government Code, Chapter 552, gives you the right to access government records; and an officer for public information and the officer's agent may not ask why you want them. All government information is presumed to be available to the public. Certain exceptions may apply to the disclosure of the information. Governmental bodies shall promptly release requested information that is not confidential by law, either constitutional, statutory, or by judicial decision, or information for which an exception to disclosure has not been sought.

    • Tobacco Prevention and Control

      The mission of DSHS Tobacco Prevention and Control is to reduce the health effects and economic toll tobacco has placed on the citizens of Texas.

    • Behavioral Health Databook

      The purpose of the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Behavioral Health Data Book is to present, in a quarterly document series, statewide data trends for community mental health and substance abuse services for policy and practice decision making. It is not intended as a comprehensive guide, but as a quick reference for DSHS staff in response to frequently-asked, general questions from behavioral health stakeholders. Therefore, data presented here should not be taken out of this context.

    • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Block Grant

      The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) will submit an application to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for Block Grant funding for the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2012-2013. The application will be combined for Community Mental Health (CMH) and Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention (SAPT) services for youth and adults throughout the state’s 11 health and human services regions. While the application is being combined block grant funding will remain separate. The block grant federal funds provide approximately $33 million dollars a year to Texas for the provision of CMH Services and approximately $135 million dollars for SAPT services.

    • Resiliency and Disease Management

      Resiliency and Disease Management (RDM) is an effort to redesign the way public Mental Health services are delivered to adults with severe and persistent mental illness and children with severe emotional disturbance. One primary aim is to ensure the provision of interventions with empirical support to eliminate or manage symptoms and promote recovery from psychiatric disorders. Learn more »

    • Department of State Health Services Rider 63, HB 1, 82nd Legislature

      The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) through the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) posted a Request for Information seeking certain information that would assist DSHS and HHSC in developing a Request for Proposal (RFP) and to assess the level of interest among private entities in operating one of the state hospitals currently managed by DSHS. Learn More »

    • Executive Formulary Committee

      The Executive Formulary Committee maintains and updates the DSHS Drug Formulary. It recommends standards of drug use, periodically reviews drugs listed in the formulary, consults with experts in clinical pharmacy, pharmacology, and other medical specialties, and makes other recommendations concerning drug use and policy as requested by the DSHS MHSA Behavioral Health Medical Director. Learn more about the Executive Formulary Committee »

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Last updated December 10, 2010