Homelessness & Mental Health: Senate Committee on Health & Human Services

The solutions to this issue most consistent with conservative principles are those that expand private capacity, reduce government as the exclusive bottleneck, and hold agencies accountable through transparent public reporting.

Testimony 89th Interim - Health and Human Services - Crisis Mental Health Homelessness.pdf

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Texas has made significant progress on crisis mental health services, and the 89th Legislature’s work demonstrates that targeted, evidence-based reform can move the system forward. The structural problems documented in this testimony, including delays in emergency detention, barriers to private outpatient participation, a 247 percent increase in the competency restoration waitlist, and the persistent connection between untreated mental illness and homelessness, are solvable. The solutions most consistent with conservative principles are those that expand private capacity, reduce government as the exclusive bottleneck, and hold agencies accountable through transparent public reporting.