Rural Mental Health

HHSC created a team dedicated to Rural Mental Health in September 2022. Rural Mental Health gives voice to rural Texans and the unique opportunities and challenges they experience accessing care.

Rural Mental Health seeks to promote and support rural mental health by:

  • Creating synergy by connecting stakeholders who have similar interests or goals;
  • Collaborating with a variety of both public and private groups focused on rural mental health;
  • Supporting rural Texas communities in their efforts to improve mental health; and
  • Highlighting innovative and effective mental health programs and practices in rural Texas communities.

Contact

If you need immediate help, call or text 988.

Find your local mental health authority (LMHA) or local behavioral health authority (LBHA).

All Texas Access

The All Texas Access Initiative focuses on increasing access to mental health services in rural Texas communities.

Each December, a new All Texas Access Report is published that highlights the challenges and new opportunities that rural Texans may have in accessing mental health care.

The 2023 All Texas Access Report focused on three priority projects:

  • Community engagement pilot project
  • Peer support learning collaborative
  • Supporting LMHAs and LBHAs in funding and implementing jail diversion strategies outlined in the previous All Texas Access report

Read the 2023 All Texas Access Report (PDF)

Or read specific parts of the 2023 All Texas Access Report:

Previous Reports

All Texas Access Data

The All Texas Access data workbook illustrates the cost of mental health care in rural communities. The workbook includes:

  • The estimated cost to local governments of providing services to people experiencing a mental health crisis;
  • The estimated costs of transporting people served by an LMHA or LBHA to mental health facilities;
  • The estimated number and cost of people with mental illness incarcerated in county jails; and
  • The estimated number of hospital emergency room visits by people with mental illness.

View the latest All Texas Access data workbook.

History of All Texas Access

All Texas Access is an initiative directed by Senate Bill (S.B.) 454, 87th Legislature, 2021. Senate Bill 454 continues the work started with S.B. 633, 86th Legislature, 2019. Senate Bill 454 directs HHSC to continue working with rural-serving LMHAs and LBHAs to increase access to mental health services.

All Texas Access seeks to address:

  • Cost to local governments of providing services to people experiencing a mental health crisis;
  • Transportation of people served by an LMHA or LBHA to mental health facilities;
  • Incarceration of people with mental illness in county jails; and
  • Hospital emergency room visits by people with mental illness.

Rural Community Resources

Contact

Email the Rural Mental Health team.