Renovations to Texas state mental health hospitals are under way across the state with the help of investments from state legislators and support from the Texas Medical Association to expand access to behavioral health care.
Among the latest developments, San Antonio State Hospital last month opened a new facility that is expected to expand access to inpatient adult psychiatric services for the 50 counties in South Texas it serves, according to an April announcement by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).
Similar projects are taking place at hospitals in Austin, Lubbock, El Paso, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and other areas throughout the state, and are part of a $2.5 billion investment the Texas Legislature has made in renovating, replacing, and expanding state hospitals since 2017.
TMA has been a dedicated supporter of mental health access improvements. Most recently such advocacy resulted in another $2 billion investment by the 2023 Texas Legislature in overall mental health services such as community mental health services and grant programs for adults and children, substance use disorder treatment, and mental health hospitals.
El Paso psychiatrist and TMA Committee on Behavioral Health member Sarah Martin, MD, says for mental health to improve, Texans need access to a full array of services all over the state.
“[With these renovations] I am hoping that psychiatrists will be more interested in working for the state and not just being in private practice because this is really where a lot of the shortages are,” she said. “Patients need to be seen through all levels of public health services, especially local mental health authorities and the state hospitals.”
In the announcement, HHSC Executive Commissioner Cecile Erwin Young said: “We’re excited to be able to offer our San Antonio State Hospital patients care in a state-of-the-art building that will help facilitate their recovery. Thank you to those who invested in our state hospitals so that we can give our patients the help they need.”
Get more information on TMA’s advocacy on behavioral health and other topics on TMA’s state advocacy webpage.
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