Alliance for Adolescent Recovery in Texas – Funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, AART-TX aimed to improve access to evidence-based assessment, treatment, and recovery supports for Texas youth between the ages of 12 and 18 who have been diagnosed with substance use disorders and/or co-occurring mental health disorders.
ASSET System of Care Expansion Planning Initiative – Funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the goal of this initiative was to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to enhance the state and local infrastructure to strengthen the systems that interact with children, youth, and families with severe emotional disturbances. Access the System of Care Strategic Plan and ASSET final report.
Bringing What Works to Youth in Corrections – Funded by the National Institute for Mental Health, this research project aims to adapt an evidence-based trauma intervention, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, for use in the state correctional system. Following adaptation through a participatory approach, the effectiveness of the adapted model will be assessed in three correctional facilities. The feasibility study will allow for testing of the screening, recruitment, and consent processes, examine the acceptability and tolerability of the treatment approach, and provide preliminary estimates of effectiveness.
Building Resiliency after Trauma – The Building Resiliency project supported the adoption and implementation of an evidence-based child trauma treatment, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), in two Texas communities (Fort Worth and Austin).
Children’s Coordinated Funding Committee –Institute staff supported a committee comprised of program and finance representatives from nine child-serving state agencies to examine the issue of fragmented funding and service coordination for children with severe emotional disturbance (SED). This specific population of children was selected due to the high costs shared among agencies and programs, and because there is great potential to better coordinate funds across agencies to improve outcomes and reduce costs that could then be redirected to early intervention and prevention efforts. Access the final report and recommendations here (link to report).
Front End Diversion Initiative (FEDI) – Specialized juvenile probation officers (SJPOs) are used as diversion for youth with mental health needs from the juvenile justice system. FEDI is a pre-adjudicatory diversion program for in which SJPOs are trained to identify mental health with a screening instrument, connect youth and their families to community resources in order to support retention of youth in their homes and ultimately keep them from further involvement with the juvenile justice system. The purpose of this study was to replicate FEDI in the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, develop a fidelity and competency measure for specialized supervision, increase evidence base for specialized supervision as a strategy to support youth with mental health needs and publicize study results in order to impact public systems more broadly.
NorthSTAR Evaluation – In 2015, Institute staff conducted an evaluation of the NorthSTAR behavioral health Medicaid 1915b waiver, located in seven counties in the Dallas region. The evaluation aimed to describe the service system, the population served in NorthSTAR, access and quality of services, and outcomes of care. The descriptive evaluation provided information about NorthSTAR as the region prepared to reorganize following a legislative decision to end the pilot program. An evaluation report was submitted to the Department of State Health Services.
Texas LAUNCH (2015-2019)- Project LAUNCH is a national initiative to promote the wellness of young children from birth to 8 years of age by addressing the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of their development. After initial implementation of Project LAUNCH in El Paso, Texas LAUNCH aims to expand the national initiative to the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo community in El Paso, and the communities of San Antonio and Fort Worth. The project targets behavioral health promotion and prevention using four core strategies: (1) increasing screening and assessment in a range of child-serving settings, (2) providing family strengthening and parent-skills training using the Incredible Years Program and Parent Cafés, (3) implementing early childhood mental health consultation, and (4) building early childhood competency in the workforce.
Texas School Based Behavioral Health Survey – Staff within the Institute supported a subcommittee of the Texas Mental Health Transformation initiative to conduct a survey to better understand the behavioral health resources and needs in schools across Texas, distributing the survey to almost 3000 individuals, primarily school nurses, counselors, and administrators.
Texas Mental Health Transformation – The Mental Health Transformation State Incentive Grant (MHT SIG) was a five-year Texas Governor’s Office initiative funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to transform the state’s mental health service system. The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) contracted with staff in the Institute to work with agencies to implement transformation projects, conduct assessments and evaluation of particular grant activities, and prepare and present reports on transformation progress and outcomes.
THRIVE (2020-2023) – THRIVE is a state initiative to promote the wellbeing of young children, ages zero to five, by addressing their social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development through the lens of the community systems that support young children and their families.
Veteran’s Jail Diversion and Trauma Recovery – In 2009, Texas received a Veteran’s Jail Diversion and Trauma Recovery grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to develop local infrastructure to divert individuals with mental health and/or substance use issues from the criminal justice system. Staff serve as lead evaluators, ensuring appropriate data collection and reporting to the federal cross-site evaluators as well as conducting a local level evaluation.
Wraparound – Wraparound is an ecologically-based process designed to build on the collective strengths and actions of a team. In wraparound, the team is brought together around all the components of the family’s life incorporating their history, culture, relationships and other relevant information to address challenges and brainstorm possible solutions. TIEMH has a long history of supporting the implementation of wraparound planning in Texas. Training for wraparound facilitators and supervisors is provided by the National Wraparound Implementation Center (NWIC) through a contract with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
YES Waiver – The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) developed the Youth Empowerment Services (YES). The YES waiver is a Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Waiver that allows for more flexibility in the funding of intensive community-based services to assist children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances (SED) to live in the community with their families. Waiver services are provided in combination with services available through the Medicaid State Plan, other federal, state, and local programs the individual may qualify for, and the natural supports that families and communities provide.
YES Waiver Evaluation – The Institute collaborated with the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to conduct an external evaluation of the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) Waiver. The YES Waiver is a 1915(c) Medicaid waiver targeting children and youth at risk of psychiatric hospitalization and out-of-home placement.
1115 Waiver Behavioral Health Projects – In 2012, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission accepted proposals for innovative new community programs intended to increase access to care, enhance the quality of care, or provide more cost-effective care. TIEMH reviewed all approved behavioral health projects and developed a database to describe key components. The initial report summarized the projects approved for four years (access report here), with a subsequent report describing those projects approved for three years (access report here).
