WEATHER ALERT
‘I needed help’: San Antonio study to use ecstasy for active-duty military members battling PTSD
Read full article: ‘I needed help’: San Antonio study to use ecstasy for active-duty military members battling PTSDThe stage is being set for a San Antonio research team to use MDMA, also known as ecstasy, in its study to help active-duty military members with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Obstacles slow Texas’ effort to improve conditions at substance abuse recovery homes
Read full article: Obstacles slow Texas’ effort to improve conditions at substance abuse recovery homesA new law was meant to uphold standards at homes where substance abusers are trying to rebuild their lives. But compliance is proving difficult.
Stevens High School students tackle Mental Health Awareness in BexarFest Project
Read full article: Stevens High School students tackle Mental Health Awareness in BexarFest ProjectAs the BexarFest screening approaches, students at Stevens High School are hard at work on their latest project, collaborating with the Alamo Area Teen Suicide Prevention Coalition.
Texas mental health licensing board gives initial OK to remove training requirement associated with DEI
Read full article: Texas mental health licensing board gives initial OK to remove training requirement associated with DEIOfficials 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.
Mental health care services set to expand in Comal County with new $8.5M facility
Read full article: Mental health care services set to expand in Comal County with new $8.5M facilityA $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.
Every month, hundreds of Texas children are waitlisted for a mental health program billed as an alternative to foster care
Read full article: Every month, hundreds of Texas children are waitlisted for a mental health program billed as an alternative to foster careDespite a long waitlist, the number of children served in the YES Waiver program has declined because of provider shortages.
Mental health calls turned violent: Advocates weigh in on crisis response in San Antonio
Read full article: Mental health calls turned violent: Advocates weigh in on crisis response in San AntonioLast 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?
Amid a $7 million deficit to Texas’ suicide hotline, thousands of calls are abandoned monthly
Read full article: Amid a $7 million deficit to Texas’ suicide hotline, thousands of calls are abandoned monthlyThe 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.
Mental health advocates ask Texas lawmakers to replace expiring COVID-19 relief funding
Read full article: Mental health advocates ask Texas lawmakers to replace expiring COVID-19 relief fundingTexas 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.
‘We definitely need more teams’: City of San Antonio looks to expand its crisis mental health response
Read full article: ‘We definitely need more teams’: City of San Antonio looks to expand its crisis mental health responseFaced with a crisis, City of San Antonio officials are working on a solution to support people during a mental health crisis.
Marked or unmarked: How mental health crisis response teams roll out in San Antonio, Bexar County
Read full article: Marked or unmarked: How mental health crisis response teams roll out in San Antonio, Bexar CountyA 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.
San Antonio vs. Denver: Different systems with similar goals for mental health crisis response
Read full article: San Antonio vs. Denver: Different systems with similar goals for mental health crisis responseIn 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.
A push to change a 2019 Texas law that bars certain felons from becoming social workers
Read full article: A push to change a 2019 Texas law that bars certain felons from becoming social workersTexas prohibits people with assault convictions, among other felonies, from becoming social workers. A new lawsuit says the ban is unconstitutional.
Did San Antonio choose the right combination in its response to mental health calls?
Read full article: Did San Antonio choose the right combination in its response to mental health calls?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.
Introducing KSAT’s ‘Crisis in Question: Measuring San Antonio’s Mental Health Solution’ series
Read full article: Introducing KSAT’s ‘Crisis in Question: Measuring San Antonio’s Mental Health Solution’ seriesThousands 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.
Board cancels costly psychologist licensing exam after pushback led by Texas
Read full article: Board cancels costly psychologist licensing exam after pushback led by TexasThe national licensing board announced it will consider folding the proposed skills test into an existing exam amid worries the additional hurdle would discourage applicants.
Break the doomscrolling cycle, protect your family’s mental health with these tips
Read full article: Break the doomscrolling cycle, protect your family’s mental health with these tipsDoomscrolling 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.
Advocates highlight warning signs ahead of Veterans Suicide Prevention Day
Read full article: Advocates highlight warning signs ahead of Veterans Suicide Prevention DayTexas 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.
Even as state mental health spending rises, private psychiatric hospitals struggle to stay open
Read full article: Even as state mental health spending rises, private psychiatric hospitals struggle to stay openTexas hasn’t increased Medicaid rates for inpatient health care at private hospitals in 16 years, falling behind other states.
How often is the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline answered in Texas?
Read full article: How often is the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline answered in Texas?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.
Pathways to Hope Conference aims to openly discuss mental health
Read full article: Pathways to Hope Conference aims to openly discuss mental healthHealthcare workers and faith-based communities say that mental health isn't something to shy away from talking about, but rather something everyone should discuss.
Teacher raises funds for mental health items to help students in the classroom
Read full article: Teacher raises funds for mental health items to help students in the classroomIt'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.
UIW defensive lineman Devin Grant’s clothing brand tackles mental health
Read full article: UIW defensive lineman Devin Grant’s clothing brand tackles mental healthFrom 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.
How a lack of supervisors keeps new mental health workers from entering the field
Read full article: How a lack of supervisors keeps new mental health workers from entering the fieldFuture Texas therapists must complete internships to start their careers, but there’s not enough providers to mentor all of the students.
This company promised to improve health care in jails. Dozens of its patients have died.
Read full article: This company promised to improve health care in jails. Dozens of its patients have died.Health care contractor Turn Key serves nearly 70 counties across Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Colorado, Kansas and Montana.
Alpha Home substance use recovery staff now helping young women beyond live-in treatment homes
Read full article: Alpha Home substance use recovery staff now helping young women beyond live-in treatment homesAlpha Home, a 56-year-old San Antonio institution serving women with substance use disorder, has expanded its reach even further.
SA Core, SMART expand hours of service this summer to help respond to more mental health calls
Read full article: SA Core, SMART expand hours of service this summer to help respond to more mental health callsThe two leading mental health units — SA Core and S.M.A.R.T. — have increased their response hours this summer.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline contacted 10 million times since creation two years ago
Read full article: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline contacted 10 million times since creation two years agoThis 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.
San Antonio church leaders train to serve as mental health counselors
Read full article: San Antonio church leaders train to serve as mental health counselorsUnder 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.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline nears two-year anniversary as organizations push for more resources
Read full article: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline nears two-year anniversary as organizations push for more resourcesWith a push for more resources and a nearing milestone, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention aims to spread awareness.
How has the city handled mental health calls since the death of Melissa Perez?
Read full article: How has the city handled mental health calls since the death of Melissa Perez?Over the last year, Melissa Perez’s death has pushed people across San Antonio to question how the city handles mental health calls.
Texas to begin construction this year on seven new psychiatric hospital projects
Read full article: Texas to begin construction this year on seven new psychiatric hospital projectsThe construction begins after lawmakers have allocated $2.5 billion to modernize and increase access to inpatient psychiatric care in Texas.
With too few mental health providers, more patients turn to primary care
Read full article: With too few mental health providers, more patients turn to primary careWhile primary care is experiencing its own workforce shortage, the profession is shouldering more mental health screenings to help bridge the behavioral health provider gap.
Uvalde Police Department appoints new mental health, family violence investigator
Read full article: Uvalde Police Department appoints new mental health, family violence investigatorThe Uvalde Police Department has created a new position dedicated to mental health and family violence investigations as part of its Guardian Initiative.
‘Be vulnerable’: Program continues to break the cycle of violence starting with fatherhood
Read full article: ‘Be vulnerable’: Program continues to break the cycle of violence starting with fatherhoodThe 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.
“Grateful to be alive”: Clubhouse programs take pressure off overwhelmed Texas mental health hospitals
Read full article: “Grateful to be alive”: Clubhouse programs take pressure off overwhelmed Texas mental health hospitalsThousands 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.
Texas’ first-ever statewide flood plan estimates 5 million live in flood-prone areas
Read full article: Texas’ first-ever statewide flood plan estimates 5 million live in flood-prone areasThe 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.
San Antonio mental health response program in middle of rapid expansion
Read full article: San Antonio mental health response program in middle of rapid expansionAfter 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.
New $305 million Austin State Hospital unveiled as Texas revamps psychiatric system
Read full article: New $305 million Austin State Hospital unveiled as Texas revamps psychiatric systemThe 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.
Bexar County advocates push for more mental health conversations after recent homicide-suicides
Read full article: Bexar County advocates push for more mental health conversations after recent homicide-suicidesCircle 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.
$17 million goes to local researchers studying military PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, suicide
Read full article: $17 million goes to local researchers studying military PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, suicidePTSD, 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.
Texas is struggling to diversify its mental health workforce as the state becomes less white
Read full article: Texas is struggling to diversify its mental health workforce as the state becomes less whiteMore than 40% of the state’s population is Hispanic, but its mental health provider population is more than 80% white.
Texas criminal appeals court removes Tomas Gallo from death row because of his intellectual disability
Read full article: Texas criminal appeals court removes Tomas Gallo from death row because of his intellectual disabilityThe court re-sentenced Gallo to life in prison for the murder of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter.
Texas psychologists’ board pushes back on costly new national licensing exam, considers crafting a cheaper state test
Read full article: Texas psychologists’ board pushes back on costly new national licensing exam, considers crafting a cheaper state testFaced 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.
A new Texas law allows schools to hire chaplains as counselors. So far, only one school has opted into the program.
Read full article: A new Texas law allows schools to hire chaplains as counselors. So far, only one school has opted into the program.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.
Taking a cue from the pews, Texas churches expanding mental health services
Read full article: Taking a cue from the pews, Texas churches expanding mental health servicesMany 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.
After a suicide crisis hit SAPD, the department created a unit to proactively help
Read full article: After a suicide crisis hit SAPD, the department created a unit to proactively helpWhether it’s a fatal car accident, murder, or crime against a child -- San Antonio police officers are among the first on the scene.
‘It’s changing a culture:’ SAPD is first law enforcement agency to be trauma-informed care certified
Read full article: ‘It’s changing a culture:’ SAPD is first law enforcement agency to be trauma-informed care certifiedTrauma-informed care goes beyond acknowledging the need for mental health resources. It takes a proactive approach, so people don't feel alone.
Texas libraries work to bridge state’s mental health services gap
Read full article: Texas libraries work to bridge state’s mental health services gapInformation-rich public libraries are using their websites and facilities to address the ever-increasing demand for counseling, housing and substance abuse services.
‘I was just so isolated’: Teen applauds new program targeting social media’s impact on youth mental health
Read full article: ‘I was just so isolated’: Teen applauds new program targeting social media’s impact on youth mental healthAfter 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.
City of San Antonio opens third annual teen mental health survey
Read full article: City of San Antonio opens third annual teen mental health surveyThe 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.
New faith-based mental health training program offers help for local communities of color
Read full article: New faith-based mental health training program offers help for local communities of colorA 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.
Local therapist: Stop labeling everyone a narcissist
Read full article: Local therapist: Stop labeling everyone a narcissistThe 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.
Kids Online Safety Act gains bipartisan support in Washington
Read full article: Kids Online Safety Act gains bipartisan support in WashingtonMaurine 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.
New, free medication program at Haven for Hope setting clients up for long-term success
Read full article: New, free medication program at Haven for Hope setting clients up for long-term successFor 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.
Where to find counseling resources to cope with grief, mental health struggles
Read full article: Where to find counseling resources to cope with grief, mental health strugglesListening 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.
Online counseling helping address student mental health crisis in schools
Read full article: Online counseling helping address student mental health crisis in schoolsThe 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 helps write song as part of mental health therapy, hoping to inspire others
Read full article: San Antonio veteran helps write song as part of mental health therapy, hoping to inspire othersSan 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.
The most stressful time of the year doesn’t have to be, mental health advocate says
Read full article: The most stressful time of the year doesn’t have to be, mental health advocate saysFor 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.
How the Texas vision for seamless mental health care fell apart over 60 years
Read full article: How the Texas vision for seamless mental health care fell apart over 60 yearsA 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.
City’s mental health, substance-use facility drops capacity from 140 to 45
Read full article: City’s mental health, substance-use facility drops capacity from 140 to 45The 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%.
Ecumenical Center not notified of Uvalde County’s decision not to renew its contract
Read full article: Ecumenical Center not notified of Uvalde County’s decision not to renew its contractThe 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.
Uvalde County votes not to renew Ecumenical Center contract
Read full article: Uvalde County votes not to renew Ecumenical Center contractThe 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.
As suicide rate increases, gun safety advocates call for more firearm regulations
Read full article: As suicide rate increases, gun safety advocates call for more firearm regulationsA 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.
Therapy dogs at UT Health San Antonio psychiatry clinic keep patients calm, coming back
Read full article: Therapy dogs at UT Health San Antonio psychiatry clinic keep patients calm, coming backA 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.
Annual holiday memorial service to be held this Sunday for loved ones lost
Read full article: Annual holiday memorial service to be held this Sunday for loved ones lostThe Baptist Medical Center is holding its annual Holiday Memorial Service this Sunday to help those who are coping with grief over the upcoming holidays.
Donating time, money on Giving Tuesday is good for mental health, San Antonio-area counselor says
Read full article: Donating time, money on Giving Tuesday is good for mental health, San Antonio-area counselor saysGiving 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.
In Texas’ Panhandle, a long-awaited oasis for mental health care is springing up
Read full article: In Texas’ Panhandle, a long-awaited oasis for mental health care is springing upThe 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.
Dating app for individuals with disabilities tries to help make meaningful connections
Read full article: Dating app for individuals with disabilities tries to help make meaningful connectionsA new app called “Dateability” aims to remove the stigma surrounding finding love for differently-abled individuals.