NAMI Texas Advocacy Newsletter June 26, 2024  

Hello Advocates,  In honor of Pride Month, the NAMI Texas Public Policy Team wanted to take the opportunity to provide some information and resources surrounding the LGBTQ+ community. The History: Pride Month is an annual celebration held throughout the month of June to honor and recognize the LGBTQ+ community and its history, culture, and contributions. It commemorates the Stonewall Riots, a pivotal event in LGBTQ+ history that occurred in June 1969 in New York City, which marked a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. A note from NAMI National: “NAMI represents the interests of all people with mental health conditions, yet all people with mental health conditions do not have the same level of access to care and do not receive the same quality of care. Data shows that members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex (LGBTQI+) community are at a higher risk for experiencing mental health conditions and often experience discrimination in health care settings.”1  You can read more about NAMI National’s stance on policies impacting the LGBTQ+ community here.   Organizations Focused on Providing LGBTQ+ Support and Resources:  The Trevor ProjectThe Trevor Project is a nonprofit organization that provides information, support and crisis intervention for LGBTQ+ young people.  The Trevor Project disseminates a yearly U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. Fast Facts from the 2024 Survey:290% of LGBTQ+ young people said their well-being was negatively impacted due to recent politics.45% of transgender and nonbinary young people reported that they or their family have considered moving to a different state because of LGBTQ+-related politics and laws.50% of LGBTQ+ young people who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it. The Jed Foundation “The Jed Foundation is a nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults, giving them the skills and support they need to thrive today…and tomorrow.”3  The Jed Foundation offers resources including but not limited to, literature reviews, support through online community forums and a Proud and Thriving Framework to develop and strengthen mental health support for LGBTQ+ students across the country.  Links to The Jed Foundation’s Resources and Supports:Proud & Thriving Project Announcement and Executive SummaryJED Queer & Questioning Literature ReviewJED Trans & Nonbinary Literature ReviewWebinar: Introducing the Proud and Thriving Framework to Support the Mental Health and Wellbeing of LGBTQ+ Students By using our voices to advocate for equitable access to mental health care and showing our unwavering support, we can create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of the LGBTQ+ community. With gratitude,The NAMI Texas Public Policy Team Sources:1. NAMIResolutionAgainstLGBTQDiscrimination.pdf2. The Trevor Project: 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People3. The Story of JED | The Jed Foundation

NAMI National’s #Vote4MentalHealth Pledge Mental health impacts nearly all aspects of our lives. And at NAMI, we advocate on a wide range of policy priorities, from health care to criminal justice to housing and beyond. No matter the topic, we know that mental health matters. Your vote in the upcoming elections matters, too. Every elected official – from the president and Congress to county commissioners and city councilmembers – has influence on issues impacting people affected by mental health conditions. That’s why it’s so important to understand how voting impacts mental health. Take the first step: click the following link to pledge to #Vote4MentalHealth this November.  NAMI won’t tell you who to vote for. We encourage you to research candidates on your ballot, decide what issues are most important to you, and cast your vote this election season. Save the Date: 2024 Positive Behavior Management and Support Workshops! The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), in conjunction with the University of North Texas, is hosting free two-day Positive Behavior Management and Support (PBMS) and Advanced PBMS workshops in-person at the North Austin Complex on July 16 – 17. Continuing education units will be offered. Registration will open June 14, 2024.  For more information, visit Training Initiatives | Texas Health and Human Services. June 2024 Health and Human Services Reports: Consolidated Reporting of Opioid-Use Disorder Related Expenditures – Fiscal Year 2023 Medicaid Managed Care Oversight and Quality – June 2024 Overview of Medicaid Managed Care Procurement Process – June 2024 Reporting of Waiting Lists for Mental Health Services – May 2024 Annual Report on Federal Community Mental Health Block Grant Expenditures – 2024 HHSC Artificial Intelligence Testimony – June 2024 Annual Report on Federal Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant Energy Savings Program Quarterly Report – Q2 – FY2024 End of Continuous Medicaid Coverage Monthly Enrollment Report to CMS – June 2024 (Excel) Senate 2024 Interim Legislative Charges: Notice of Public Hearing Thursday, September 5, 2024, at 9:00am Senate Finance Committee (E1.036) Mental Health Services and Inpatient Facilities: Monitor the implementation of Senate Bill 30, 88th Legislature, Regular Session, with regard to appropriations made for expanding mental health services and inpatient facilities across the state. Report on the progress of inpatient facility construction projects. Assess and report on the effectiveness of spending on mental health services. You can view the full hearing agenda, here. Wednesday, September 18, 2024 Senate Health & Human Services Committee (E1.012) Children’s Mental Health: Review care and services currently available to the growing population of Texas children with high acuity mental and behavioral health needs. Make recommendations to improve access to care and services for these children that will support family preservation and prevent them from entering the child welfare system. Access to Health Care: Evaluate current access to primary and mental health care. Examine whether regulatory and licensing flexibilities could improve access to care, particularly in medically underserved areas of Texas. Make recommendations, if any, to improve access to care while maintaining patient safety. You can view the full hearing agenda, here. You can review the list of Interim Charges in its entirety, here.  House 2024 Interim Legislative Charges: Notice of Public Hearing Tuesday, July 9, 2024, at 10:00am Youth Health & Safety, Select (E2.026) The committee will meet to hear invited testimony only on the following interim charge: Behavioral Health Services for At-Risk Youth: Evaluate programs and services currently available to children and families that are either involved with, or at high risk for becoming involved with, the foster care and juvenile justice systems. Study the current barriers for accessing community-based behavioral health services for children with intense behavioral health needs, with an emphasis on ensuring that parents do not have to give up custody of children to gain access to services. Electronic public comment:Texas residents who wish to electronically submit comments related to agenda items on this notice without testifying in person can do so until the hearing is adjourned by visiting this webpage.  An additional hearing for this interim charge will be held on July 31, 2024, at which point public testimony can be provided. Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at 10:00am Youth Health & Safety, Select (E2.026)  The committee will meet to hear both invited testimony and public testimony on the following interim charge: Behavioral Health Services for At-Risk Youth: Evaluate programs and services currently available to children and families that are either involved with, or at high risk for becoming involved with, the foster care and juvenile justice systems. Study the current barriers for accessing community-based behavioral health services for children with intense behavioral health needs, with an emphasis on ensuring that parents do not have to give up custody of children to gain access to services. Please note: public testimony will be limited to three minutes You can view the full agenda for the July 7th hearing here.You can view the full agenda for the July 31st hearing here.  You can review the list of Interim Charges in its entirety, here.  Public Policy Platform Development Input Our 2025-2026 Public Policy Platform surveys have concluded. Thank you much for your time and input on these important matters! We could not do this work without all of you. Stay tuned for our Public Policy Platform which will be published in the fall.  Breaking Barriers, Busting Stigma: An Infographic Series  NAMI Texas Policy Fellow, Hannah Gill, will be creating a series of infographics highlighting barriers that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) face. The following graphic is the fifth in the series. NAMI Texas Conference: Celebrating 40 Years of Hope and HealingEvery year, NAMI Texas hosts an Annual Conference and Awards Celebration. These events bring together individuals living with mental illness, family members, professionals, and the general public to highlight the latest updates in the mental health field, exchange information, and celebrate the year’s successes. With exciting keynotes, informative workshops, a lively exhibit hall, Continuing Education Credit, networking opportunities, and special surprises, the Conference has something for everyone. This year, we are celebrating 40 Years of Hope and Healing. We could not be more excited to be bringing the Conference to West Texas. All Conference events will be held in the heart of bustling downtown El Paso, primarily in the beautiful El Paso Convention Center. There are many nonstop flights to El Paso from major Texas airports. The local Affiliate in the area, NAMI El Paso, is eager to welcome Texans from across the state. We hope you will join us in November for this extra special celebration!  Ticket sales are live! As a thank you to our supporters for helping NAMI Texas have a successful Mental Health Awareness Month, there is a special sale on tickets through June 30th. Buy now to get the best possible deal on tickets! Check out this link to purchase your tickets.  2024 NAMI Texas Annual Conference Call-for-Presentations! All topics related to mental health are welcome, but the Conference Planning Committee has identified the following 4 thematic categories of particular interest: 1.) Children, Youth, & Families, 2.) Underserved Populations, 3.) Criminal Legal System, and 4.) Innovation and Creativity. For further details and to access the form, check out the call-for-presentations webpage. The deadline to submit a workshop proposal is August 2nd, 2024.  NAMI SMARTS Classes Grassroots advocacy is about using your voice to influence policymakers and make a difference. Turn your passion and your lived experience into advocacy for mental health with the NAMI Smarts for Advocacy training. NAMI Smarts for Advocacy will enhance your advocacy skills and help you shape a powerful and personal story that will move policymakers. NAMI Smarts for Advocacy gives you step-by-step tools and the hands-on practice you need to feel confident and ready to make a difference. The NAMI Texas Public Policy Team does not currently have any classes scheduled. Be sure to keep an eye on our calendar for forthcoming classes.

If you have anything you would like to share with NAMI Texas advocates in these emails, please send the information to policy.fellow@namitexas.org –       Hannah Gill and the NAMI Texas Public Policy Team

Mental Health in the Media KCBD Investigates The Mental Health Crisis: Texas ranks last in access to mental health services“LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Brittany Simpkins remembers the moment she knew what she was meant to do. “Second semester of undergrad. I took a class in psychology of personality and was completely fascinated,” Simpkins said. Simpkins graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing, and took a job with LifeGift. Simpkins is now the intake director at Oceans Behavioral Hospital in Lubbock. “Watching somebody come in and they are completely at the end of their rope and don’t have any hope, don’t think that it’s going to get any better, walk out with a smile on their face and a hug and, ‘Thank you for saving my life,’ it doesn’t get any better than that,” Simpkins said.” ‘Grateful to be alive’: Programs take pressure off overwhelmed Texas mental health hospitals“When Jonathan Denhart was discharged from the psych ward at Austin Oaks Hospital last year, he was prepared to be back very soon. For more than 40 years, Denhart has cycled through rehabs, sober housing, mental health hospitals and 12-step programs to treat his bipolar and substance use disorders, but nothing worked. As Denhart was about to walk out the door a hospital staff member stopped him and suggested he stop by a place called Austin Clubhouse to try a vocational rehabilitation program.” Williamson County strives to close gaps in access to mental health care “As part of a collaborative effort, Williamson County officials have worked to increase access to mental health care, creating a more streamlined system for individuals experiencing mental distress. The county’s proactive approach prevents or redirects many individuals in the midst of a mental crisis from seeing a jail cell, instead allowing them to receive the appropriate help they need during a critical time.”  Mental health booth installation to come to the Borderland“EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso has won a national contest to receive a Hope Booth. A Hope Booth is a mental health installation telephone booth that helps connect people with local mental health services and support. The Hope Booth offers 3-minute interactive experiences to users in need of a pick-me-up. The contest was launched on May 1st. After over a thousand comments, El Paso came out on top.” Former Texas RB Jamaal Charles Opens Up About Battle With Mental Health“AUSTIN — After ending his time on the Forty Acres as one of the best running backs in program history, former Texas Longhorns star Jamaal Charles enjoyed a successful 11-year NFL career after being a part of the historical However, Charles recently admitted that he’s endured some concerning battles with mental health since his retirement from football in 2019.”

NAMI is a highly respected organization with a ton of resources, be sure to check out their page for additional information and the advocacy work they do on Capital Hill. I’m a member of the Texas Chapter and NAMI is one organization I advocate for. It’s an armchair advocate but I do send letters to Texas and the Federal Government. on pressing issues and upcoming Bills.

Melinda