The Substance Abuse Program Services Unit within Mental Health and Substance Abuse (MHSA) administers and is responsible for overseeing substance abuse services statewide. To provide a fuller continuum, integration of the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program was added to the MHSA division. This structure enables DSHS to more effectively leverage the agency’s resources for the prevention, control, and treatment of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
Adult Substance Abuse Services
Treatment services are designed to reduce the symptoms of an illness, diminish disability, and improve quality of life. Treatment services are provided to persons with a substance abuse or dependence diagnosis in inpatient, residential, and outpatient settings, with varying degrees of intensity to meet the individual’s needs. Initiating recovery oriented systems of care consist of an array of services designed to assist individuals in completing treatment and sustaining gains made during the treatment process. These systems are intended to link the individual to the most appropriate community resources. Services may include job training, sober housing, and child care.
The types of services offered include:
- Intensive and Supportive Residential (adult and youth)
- Outpatient (adult and youth)
- Opioid Replacement Therapy
- Co-Occurring Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Disorders (COPSD) Services (adult and youth)
- Specialized Female Services (adult and youth)
Substance Abuse Services for Children and Adolescents
Texas youth residents ages 13-17 who meet DSM-IV-R criteria for substance abuse or dependence who have been assessed to be of high severity (for intensive residential treatment) or moderate severity (for supportive residential treatment) and lower severity (for outpatient treatment) are eligible for treatment according to DSHS Client Placement Guidelines. Young adults aged 18-21 may be admitted to a youth treatment program when the screening process indicates the individual’s needs, experiences, and behavior are similar to those of youth clients. Learn more about services for children and adolescents »
Tobacco Prevention and Control
The mission of the Tobacco Prevention and Control Unit is to reduce the health effects and economic toll tobacco has placed on the citizens of Texas. The major goals of the Unit are:
- prevention of tobacco use among young people;
- promotion of compliance and support of adequate enforcement of federal, state and local tobacco laws;
- to increase cessation among young people and adults;
- the elimination of exposure to secondhand smoke;
- the reduction of tobacco use among populations with the highest burden of tobacco-related health disparities; and
- the development and maintenance of statewide capacity for comprehensive tobacco prevention and control.
Learn more about Tobacco Prevention and Control »
Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention Services
There are 11 Prevention Resource Centers (PRCs) across the state. These centers provide communities with prevention information, resources, and expertise. Learn more about Prevention Resource Centers »
Disaster Behavioral Health Services
The primary responsibilities of disaster behavioral health services are to utilize and coordinate disaster mental health resources prior to, during, and after an event and to establish and manage short-term crisis counseling program in a federally-declared impact area. The Crisis Counseling Program, a Federal Emergency Management Agency-funded program, establishes a team at a host mental health and mental retardation center and provides outreach, screening, and assessment, counseling, information, and referral, and public education about the effects and means to manage stress. Learn more about Disaster Behavioral Health »