Posted on · By attending a weeklong course in crisis intervention training hosted by the San Antonio Police Department’s mental health unit, Texas first responders are learning about how to deal with mental illness.
Posted on · The law, named for a rape victim jailed by Harris County prosecutors, guarantees crime victims the right to an attorney and an open hearing when they are subpoenaed to testify against their attackers.
Posted on · (Above: Sandra Bland’s booking photo at the Waller County Jail from July 2015. Photo: Waller County Sheriff’s Office via AP) Texas State Rep. Garnet Coleman, a Houston Democrat, has introduced House Bill 2702 at the Texas Legislature, what many are calling the “Sandra Bland bill.” It aims to protect minorities and the mentally ill during interactions […]
Posted on · Following a high-profile case where a rape victim was jailed, advocates for the mentally ill are asking Harris County to improve training for prosecutors and deputies. This comes as the sheriff’s department handles a growing number of cases involving people with psychiatric issues.
Posted on · The District Attorney says she'll do things differently in the future, but the victim is moving ahead with a lawsuit.
Posted on · We all know what “coming out” means, but what if we shifted our thoughts on that? Mental illness, whether we like it or not, still has a social stigma attached to it. So what happens if a person decides to “come out” at work as having depression or schizophrenia or social anxiety — or any number […]
Posted on · Whether you realize it or not, you might know someone battling with a mental illness, because nearly one in five American adults are. One such mental illness is bipolar disorder, which can manifest itself as pretty extreme mood swings, ranging from euphoric or irritable to depressed. We discuss bipolar disorder and how it’s treated in Houston with Dr. […]
Posted on · Houston mayoral candidates bemoan effect of untreated mental illness on police and jails
Posted on · A community conversation about mental illness and substance abuse among teens will be held Thursday, Jan. 22, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Clear Springs High School in League City. We preview the event, called âSpeak Your Mind” by speaking with social worker Melissa Tucker and teenager Matt Ferree, who works with the Gulf Coast chapter […]
Posted on · Kristopher Sharp entered the foster care system in Texas when he was 10 years old. Until he aged out of the system at 18, he was placed in 20 different foster homes, mostly group homes. Along the way, he suffered abuse. He says face-to-face visits with Child Protective Services caseworkers were rare. On this edition […]
Posted on · In the coming months, Congress is expected to vote on pipeline expansion from Alberta to Kansas. If approved, this new section of the Keystone Pipeline which would bring heavy Canadian crude oil to refineries near Houston and Beaumont. On this edition of Houston Matters, we consider the pros and cons of the Keystone XL Pipeline. […]
Posted on · According to the American Psychiatric Association, as many as one in ten children between the ages of six and 12Â experience the âpersistent feelings of sadnessâ associated with depression. According to the CDC and the Health Resources and Services Administration, more than one in ten children ages four to 17 have been diagnosed with attention deficit […]
Posted on · Last month, the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, which is tasked with identifying and eliminating inefficiencies in state government, released a critical report on the Texas Department of State Health Services. The report characterizes the state’s mental health hospital system as being “in crisis,” adding that “individuals waiting to enter the state mental health hospital system are at risk of not […]