INSIDER
Officials say the motive for the change to the rule requiring mental health providers to receive cultural diversity or competency training for license renewals has been misunderstood.
A $8.5 million facility will be built in New Braunfels next year so that criminal mental health issues can be handled closer to home by law enforcement and the courts.
Despite a long waitlist, the number of children served in the YES Waiver program has declined because of provider shortages.
Last week, seven SAPD officers were injured in a shooting. The original call came in as a suicide in progress with a gun. KSAT has covered multiple stories on mental health response, but does that change in a crisis situation?
The state’s 988 suicide had the nation’s fifth highest rate of abandoned calls in August, the latest data available, amid a multi-million funding deficit that could worsen as federal dollars expire this year.
Texas received $203.4 million in 2021 to help build community mental health programs at libraries and churches, among other efforts. Those funds expire Dec. 31.
Faced with a crisis, City of San Antonio officials are working on a solution to support people during a mental health crisis.
A polo shirt and jeans aren’t the uniform anyone would typically expect from a police officer or a paramedic. For crisis mental health teams, dressing down is a part of the job.
In KSAT’s “Crisis in Question” series, our team is taking a closer look at the different kinds of crisis response in San Antonio and Denver.
Texas prohibits people with assault convictions, among other felonies, from becoming social workers. A new lawsuit says the ban is unconstitutional.
SA CORE is a co-responder team, meaning police officers are a part of our crisis response equation. That can often be a point of criticism.
Thousands of mental health calls are made to 911 in San Antonio each year. KSAT is taking a closer look at the effectiveness of the city’s crisis response team.
The national licensing board announced it will consider folding the proposed skills test into an existing exam amid worries the additional hurdle would discourage applicants.
Doomscrolling is when you spend a lot of time on social media watching videos in a non stop loop. The bad habit can bring on negative mental health problems.
Texas lawmakers designated September 22 as Veterans Suicide Prevention Awareness Day as a way to save the lives of those who have risked their lives for our freedom.
Texas hasn’t increased Medicaid rates for inpatient health care at private hospitals in 16 years, falling behind other states.
New data shows progress has been made in getting more calls answered since the number was shorted two years ago. But there is still more work to be done.
Healthcare workers and faith-based communities say that mental health isn't something to shy away from talking about, but rather something everyone should discuss.
It's common for teachers to fundraise for all those pricey classroom school supplies, but one San Antonio teacher has raised money for something very unique — making her classroom a mental health oasis.
From the struggle of finding your spot on a football team to feeling alone in life, University of the Incarnate Word defensive lineman Devin Grant has been through a lot. In the process of finding a way to share parts of his journey, he created a clothing brand that highlights the struggles of mental health.
Future Texas therapists must complete internships to start their careers, but there’s not enough providers to mentor all of the students.
Health care contractor Turn Key serves nearly 70 counties across Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Colorado, Kansas and Montana.
Alpha Home, a 56-year-old San Antonio institution serving women with substance use disorder, has expanded its reach even further.
The two leading mental health units — SA Core and S.M.A.R.T. — have increased their response hours this summer.
This week marks two years since the national suicide lifeline was dropped from a 1-800 phone number to a three-digit emergency number, 988. Anyone can call, text, chat, or video call to get to a crisis counselor.
Under a Harvard Medical School pilot program, church members and leaders will work as interns before counseling on their own, referring more serious cases to medical providers.
With a push for more resources and a nearing milestone, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention aims to spread awareness.
Over the last year, Melissa Perez’s death has pushed people across San Antonio to question how the city handles mental health calls.
The construction begins after lawmakers have allocated $2.5 billion to modernize and increase access to inpatient psychiatric care in Texas.
While primary care is experiencing its own workforce shortage, the profession is shouldering more mental health screenings to help bridge the behavioral health provider gap.
The Uvalde Police Department has created a new position dedicated to mental health and family violence investigations as part of its Guardian Initiative.
The San Antonio Fatherhood Campaign has helped thousands of dads deal with their own trauma, learn about healthy relationships, and become incredible parents. It's stopping the cycle of family and community violence.
Thousands of people are discharged from Texas mental health hospitals yearly, and so-called step-down programs like clubhouses can help them integrate back into the community.
The state’s flood plan shows which Texans are most at risk of flooding and suggests billions of dollars more are needed for flood mitigation projects.
After a heavily-lauded start, city leaders were quick to clamor for a rapid expansion of the SA CORE program. The three-member teams already provide citywide coverage, and around-the-clock coverage is a little more than a month away.
The facility has 240 single-person rooms, a basketball gym and outdoor courtyards. It’s part of a $2.5 billion overhaul of the state’s mental health hospital system.
Circle of Arms executive director Larissa Martinez said there is a growing push to prioritize conversations about mental health after the Bexar County Medical Examiner confirmed a young mother died by suicide this week.
PTSD, suicide, and brain injuries plague our military and veteran communities, and local researchers are taking action. Eight new studies were just funded to research how we can best treat those conditions.
More than 40% of the state’s population is Hispanic, but its mental health provider population is more than 80% white.
The court re-sentenced Gallo to life in prison for the murder of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter.
Faced with a nagging mental health provider shortage, the state psychologists’ licensing board is looking into whether the state should devise its own exam to get professionals licensed more quickly.
Many independent school districts, including the largest ones, do not allow chaplains to serve as counselors, which is now allowed under a new Texas law.
Many Texas faith groups have offered counseling services in the past. But more of them are expanding their programs, partnering with providers, to help meet the growing need here for mental health services.
Whether it’s a fatal car accident, murder, or crime against a child -- San Antonio police officers are among the first on the scene.
Trauma-informed care goes beyond acknowledging the need for mental health resources. It takes a proactive approach, so people don't feel alone.
Information-rich public libraries are using their websites and facilities to address the ever-increasing demand for counseling, housing and substance abuse services.
After nationwide warnings, lawsuits against social media companies, and medical evidence about social media's negative affect on youth, Bexar County and the state of Texas are taking action. The new CHAAT program teaches kids and parents about what's really happening and what to do about it.
The Department of Human Services’ San Antonio Youth Commission and the Metropolitan Health District’s Project Worth Teen Ambassadors have opened the third annual teen mental health survey.
A program in San Antonio is offering free mental health training to faith-based communities for people of color. The program will help break stigma and unravel generational trauma and isolation.
The word "narcissist" has gotten somewhat trendy. It’s one of the most searched terms on the internet. However, mental health experts want you to hold off on using it so often to describe people you don’t like.
Maurine Molak lost her son, David, to suicide in 2016. Last week, she joined other parents who lost loved ones to online abuse on Capitol Hill, as lawmakers questions social media executives.
For many people, the ability to prioritize health is a luxury. Those living in poverty or experiencing homelessness have to decide between buying food, or prescription medications. That's why a new free mediation program is helping Haven for Hope clients find true clarity and success.
Listening to the news of tragedies can be hard on anyone, from those directly connected to viewers who are keeping up with the story. Here are some resources that can help those dealing with grief or mental health struggles.
The pandemic brought light to mental health crisis within the walls of our schools. With counselors overloaded, the state turned to a digital outlet.
San Antonio veteran Rich Stinson now openly talks about his struggles with mental health, but it hasn't always been the case. Stinson said he's on a journey to healing, and he wants to let other veterans know they're not alone.
For some battling mental illness, the holiday season can be the most difficult time of the year, as high expectations, loneliness, stress, and anxiety could all lead to a mental health breakdown.
A lack of private providers, a swamped community mental health system, and low insurance reimbursement have cut off many in Texas from basic mental health services.
The City of San Antonio funds the only residential facility in Bexar County that treats co-occurring conditions, meaning people with both substance use and mental health disorders. A sharp drop in funding this year cut the bed number by 72%.
The Ecumenical Center, a trauma-informed organization with specialized counselors, will not have its contract renewed past April 2024 to run the Uvalde Together Resiliency Center.
The Uvalde County Commissioners Court voted to not renew their contract with the Ecumenical Center, which has provided counseling services to the community after the Robb Elementary shooting in May 2022.
A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showed a new record for people using firearms in suicides. Texas gun safety and mental health advocates say the report highlights a need for gun laws the state does not have.
A local study last year placed therapy dogs at a dialysis center where they found huge success with patients showing up to their appointments. Now, the same doctor is bringing those dogs to her UT Health San Antonio psychiatry patients.
The Baptist Medical Center is holding its annual Holiday Memorial Service this Sunday to help those who are coping with grief over the upcoming holidays.
Giving Tuesday is a chance for you to give to a cause that you feel strongly about and a local San Antonio-area doctor says it can also be good for your soul.
The region that includes Amarillo, a Panhandle city of more than 200,000 people, and surrounding towns has long been a mental health care desert. Officials hope a new $159 million hospital can help reduce a massive spike in suicide attempts.
A new app called “Dateability” aims to remove the stigma surrounding finding love for differently-abled individuals.
With an aging population on the rise, more seniors are experiencing social isolation than ever before. However, one organization is stepping up to help spark new connections and friendships.
As the community grapples with this horrifying event, a member of the victim’s family is speaking out on the role of mental health and what they believe could have been done to prevent this.
