HB 906 Mental Health Task Force
Purpose
The 86th Texas Legislature charged ÂÜÀòÉç in HB 906 to develop a Mental Health Task Force to study and evaluate mental health services that are funded by the state and provided at a school district or open-enrollment charter school directly to a student, parent or family member or employee. ÌýThe Task Force is also directed to study training provided to an educator and the impact of the mental health training and services. ÌýThe Task Force will be supported by an institution of higher education to collect and analyze data. The Task Force will produce a report and make recommendations for the Texas Legislature. ÂÜÀòÉç is responsible to appoint the membership of the Task Force and support the work and goals of the Task Force, as outlined in the legislation and as may be identified by the Task Force.
Task Force Members
Officers
Presiding Officer:
Tracy Spinner
Ìý
Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) to Supporting the Task Force
- University of Texas At Austin, Institute for Excellence in Mental Health (Lead IHE)
- Prairie View A&M University, Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention (Supporting IHE)
- Baylor College of Medicine,ÌýDepartment of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Sciences (Supporting IHE)
- Texas State University,ÌýTexas School Safety Center
Lead IHE Researcher:
Molly Lopez, PhD,
Director and Research Associate Professor
University of Texas At Austin, Institute for Excellence in Mental Health
Supporting IHE Researchers:
Susan Frazier-Kouassi, PhD
Director, Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention
Prairie View A&M University, Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention
Camille Gibson, PhD
Executive Director, Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention
Prairie View A&M University, Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention
Eric Storch, PhD
Chair, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Sciences
Baylor College of Medicine,ÌýDepartment of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Sciences
| Membership Status | Name/Title | District/Agency/Organization | Statutory Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Education Agency Commissioner or designee | Dr. LaTrenda Watson, Director of Mental and Behavioral Health | ÂÜÀòÉç- Program Staff Liaison for the Task Force | Ìý |
| Parent | Barbara Granger, BA/BSÌý | Parent | Ìý |
| Parent | Tracy KingÌý | Parent | Secretary |
| Parent | Leah Kelly | Parent | Ìý |
| Licensed Professional Counselor | Bena Glassock, Coordinator of Assessment, Counseling & Health Services | Hereford ISD | Ìý |
| Other- Licensed Professional Counselor | Heather Lambert, LPC | Clearhope Counseling Center | Ìý |
| Other- Licensed Professional Counselor | Jenipher Janek, M.Ed., LPC, LSSP, Education Specialist III/Coordinator | Education Service Center Region 12 | Ìý |
| Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Francine (Fran) Duane, LCSW | Bryan ISD School Board Private Practice | Ìý |
| Certified School Counselor | Tammie Mackeben, Director of School Counseling | Socorro ISD | Ìý |
| Other-Certified School Counselor | Michelle Harris, MS, LPC, School CounselorÌý | Crowley ISD | Ìý |
| Psychiatrist | Elizabeth Newlin, MD | UT Health Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences | Ìý |
| School Administrator | Andy Ball, SuperintendentÌý | Clifton ISD | Ìý |
| School Administrator | Steven Shiels, Director of Behavioral Health and Wellness | Fort Bend ISD | Ìý |
| Other-Certified School Counselor | Christina Shaw, Ed.D, Student Support CounselorÌý | Pearland ISD Ìý |
Ìý |
| Mental Health Foundation Representative | Ìý | The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health | Ìý |
| Employee of Institution of Higher Education | Molly Lopez, PhD, Director of the Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health | University of Texas-Austin | Lead IHE |
| Other-Employee of Institution of Higher Education | Natalie Fikac, Senior Administrative Program Coordinator, South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center | University of Texas-Austin | Ìý |
| Other-Employee of Institution of Higher Education | Stephanie Peterson, LPC, Training and Education Specialist | Texas State University Texas School Safety Center | Ìý |
| Other-Employee of Institution of Higher Education | Susan Frazier-Kouassi, PhD, Director | Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention, Prairie View A&M University | Supporting IHE |
| Other-Employee of Institution of Higher Education | Camille Gibson, PhD, Executive Director | Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention, Prairie View A&M University | Supporting IHE |
| Other-Employee of Institution of Higher Education | Leslie Taylor, PhD, Assistant Professor in Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences | McGovern Medical School | Ìý |
| Other-Employee of Institution of Higher Education | Eric Storch, PhD, Professor, Vice Chair, McIngvale Presidential Endowed Chair-Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Sciences | Baylor College of Medicine | Supporting IHE |
| Other - Texas Education Agency RepresentativeÌý | Tammy Gendke, MA, LSSP, Mental Health Program CoordinatorÌý | Texas Education Agency | Ìý |
| Mental Health Provider | Tracy Spinner, M. Ed., VP of Education and Strategic Initiatives | DaybreakÌýHealth | Presiding Officer |
| Other Mental Health Representative | Jamie Freeney, Ph.D, MPH, Director of The Center for School Behavioral Health | Mental Health America of Greater Houston | Ìý |
| Other Mental Health Representative | Rohanna Sykes, Assistant Director for School Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Behavioral HealthÌý | Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute | Ìý |
| Other Mental Health Representative | Rebecca Fowler, Public Policy Engagement & Strategist | Mental Health America of Greater Houston | Ìý |
| Licensed Specialist in School Psychology | Phyllis Hamilton, LSSP, NCSPÌý | Retired | Ìý |
| Other Mental Health Representative | Greg Hansch, Executive Director | NAMI Texas | Ìý |
| Other Mental Health Representative | Angelina Brown Hudson, Program Director | NAMI Greater Houston | Ìý |
| Other Mental Health Representative | Lisa Descant, CEO | Communities In Schools of Houston | Ìý |
| Other Mental Health Representative | Monica Rodriguez, Valley Wide Program Manager | Tropical Texas Behavioral Health | Ìý |
| Other Mental Health Representative | Pam Wells, EdD, Executive Director | Region 4 ESC | Ìý |
Ìý
Deliverables
Dr. LaTrenda Watson, Director of Mental and Behavioral Health
Tammy Gendke, Mental Health Program Coordinator
Ashton Millet, Project A.W.A.R.E State Coordinator
MentalandBehavioralHealth@tea.texas.govÌý
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