Gov. Greg Abbott announces $34M mental health facility coming to Uvalde

UVALDE, Texas (Nexstar) — Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Monday a $34 million initiative aimed at bolstering mental health services in Uvalde.

Construction for a new behavioral health campus in Uvalde is expected to begin later this year, according to a press release from the governor's office. The project aims to help children and adults grappling with mental health crises in Uvalde and across 32 counties in the surrounding area.

The proposed facility will include a 16-bed crisis unit for adults and a dedicated wing for youths, featuring a 16-bed crisis unit tailored for children and adolescents. The focus of the campus will be on crisis stabilization and providing round-the-clock support to individuals undergoing mental health emergencies. Additionally, the facility will serve as a designated 24/7 diversion center, welcoming walk-ins and individuals referred by law enforcement agencies.

"Our communities thrive when Texans feel safe and healthy, and the State of Texas remains steadfast in its efforts to broaden the reach of essential mental health resources," Abbott said in a statement.

Former Uvalde mayor Don McLaughlin said the need for this facility long preceded the May 2022 mass shooting in their community, in which a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers. A House Committee investigative report on the shooting found the gunman had a history of mental health issues and missed warning signs.

"We have no help in rural Texas for it, not just in Uvalde but all over rural Texas," he said. "Right now, if the county judges have someone that they have to deal with or seek to get help, or to be evaluated — we've had a drive away as far away as Texarkana, Texas to find the bed."

McLaughlin said he has spent the last nine or so years advocating for more mental health resources in Uvalde or surrounding counties.

Dr. Bob Cuyler — the chief clinical officer of Freespira Inc. — applauded the state's effort in building this center, stressing the importance of crisis intervention when it comes to preventing an indivudal from harming themselves or others.

"There's sort of a magic moment where many times you can intervene rapidly and help stabilize a crisis so that it may not turn into a need for an extended hospitalization," he said. "That's not always the case. But it was an award winning and tremendous service for kind of a similar demographic in East Texas to the counties around Uvalde."

Cuyler said his biggest concern for the project is finding adequate staffing for these facilities, suggesting a hybrid of in-person treatment and telehealth for certain types of care could help with staffing.

"It's a lot easier to build buildings than it is to staff with mental health professionals. It is a real challenge to recruit mental health professionals to rural areas, I don't know to what extent they may use, you know, telemedicine as part of their staffing solution," he said.

The project is set to be operated by Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Centers under a contract with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

The City of Uvalde has allocated seven acres of land at U.S. 90 and King Fisher Lane to accommodate the campus, which will include two different buildings, spanning approximately 50,000 square feet.

During the 88th Legislative Session, Abbott signed House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 30 into law, earmarking $33.6 million for the construction of the Uvalde Behavioral Health Campus. An additional $5 million was allocated for the facility's inaugural year of operation.

The new behavioral health campus, scheduled to open its doors in the summer of 2025.