Texas has an urgent unmet need in mental health care 

TX is #1in cattle, cotton and natural gas production, biggest rodeo in the world , higher education, biggest capital building & friendliness 

There seems to be little concern for the 1 in 5 people who have mental health problems. 56% of adults don’t get treatment. Currently mental hospitals keep a person for 2 weeks, change their meds and released without seeing what side effects that change will have.

 These people are likely self medicating & involved in the legal system, but before they can get effective treatment they are charged with a crime, arrested and declared incompetent.  They remain in jail, their illness becomes worse until there’s an opening in a mental institution. They remain in jail for several months 

What if mentally ill people could get the extended care they need before the situation gets to that point? They wouldn’t have to go to jails and state hospitals, but how can they when there’s only 37 regional clinics with long wait lists for local residents needing treatment & counseling

 Nationwide 75% of women & 63% of men in local jails have a mental health diagnosis. TX ranks a dismal  48th nationally in spending for mental health-$40/person/yr.  There’s 10 state hospitals for 254 counties 

How do I know all this. My son has experienced mental illness and was  bounced in and out of regional clinics. Then he was in jail for months after being declared incompetent Finally he got extended care in a state hospital.

In other words, in TX if you don’t have a bank account to pay for private mental health care your condition can result in criminal charges and your condition made worse 

We need help now! We need action 

Please sign the petition for extended mental health care funding