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Objectives: Consistent with national trends, Texas youth have experienced an increase in mental health distress and mental health access, especially for rural and marginalized youth. In response to local disasters that negatively impacted populations, the Texas government developed statewide programming that could respond to local needs, with an emphasis on immediate intervention, primary care, and workforce development. Methods: Texas advocacy groups provided evidence-based recommendations to the state legislature. Successful voluntary statewide collaborative efforts with intra-agency collaboration provided a blueprint. To promote sustainability, workforce development was a critical component. Statewide research collaboratives would enhance empirical information on Texas youth mental health and provide opportunities for Texas researchers to access federal funding. Results: In 2019, the Texas legislation established the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium funded through general appropriations. The consortium was directed to develop 5 initiatives, to be regionally implemented by 12 healthcare institutions. To date, the Child Psychiatry Access Network has provided around 45,000 provider consultations, the Texas Child Health Access through Telemedicine provides coverage to around 4 million youth within 85% of independent school districts covered, and a Community Psychiatry Workforce Expansion expanded and developed new child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship positions and developed 2 statewide research networks on pediatric depression and trauma. Conclusions: Engaging in advocacy with partners at the local, regional, and state levels affords individuals, systems, families, and state legislators the ability to work collectively and collaboratively to address our mental healthcare systems in a manner that respects local experiences and expertise and harnesses the state government for the common good. Sustainability requires continual connection with the identified stakeholders: families in Texas; local, state, and regional partners; advocacy groups; and state agencies, including the state government.
Citation: Williams L 25.1 Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium: Partnership, Advocacy, State Legislation, and Population-Level Programming Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 64S36
