UT Health San Antonio contact: Steven Lee, 210-450-3823, lees22@uthscsa.edu
Hill Country MHDD contact: Kelsi Wilmot, 830-370-6302, kelsi8310@hillcountry.org
SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 7, 2022 – Be Well Texas, a statewide initiative of UT Health San Antonio, and Hill Country Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities Centers have entered into an agreement to provide substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services to Uvalde residents.
They will jointly provide on-demand, 24/7 access to a virtual navigation hub for peer recovery support services, behavioral health screening, case management and crisis services.
Be Well Texas, funded by Texas Health and Human Services, provides resources virtually, or in-person upon request, regardless of ability to pay. The new services in Uvalde come at a pivotal time, following the tragic shootings earlier this year at Robb Elementary School.
“We knew that people were struggling with their mental health in Uvalde, and there has been a behavioral health care response, but often after a tragedy, substance use disorder will follow,” said Jennifer Sharpe Potter, PhD, MPH, vice president for research and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at UT Health San Antonio, and executive director of Be Well Texas.
“We anticipate the degree of substance misuse to increase in the community of Uvalde,” said Tod Citron, chief executive officer of Hill Country MHDD Centers. “We understand that the risk of developing a substance use disorder is significantly greater when a loss is traumatic or occurs under traumatic circumstances. We are prepared to offer support to those who are struggling with substance misuse, whether drug- or alcohol-related.”
Under the agreement with Hill Country MHDD Centers, which has a location in Uvalde, Be Well Texas will offer medication and management for SUD, psychiatric evaluations, laboratory tests, and individual and family therapy, in addition to case management and peer recovery support services with professionals with shared addiction experiences.
The services, including medication and labs for treatment, will be offered at no cost to patients who qualify.
Hill Country MHDD Centers will provide assessments for those individuals who present for services and screen positive for substance misuse in the Uvalde community. The organization will be working with Be Well Texas to provide further assessment and treatment services that include medication assistance, counseling, family education and other services that promote recovery.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio), a primary driver of San Antonio’s $44.1 billion health care and biosciences sector, is the largest research university in South Texas with an annual research portfolio of $350 million. Driving substantial economic impact with its five professional schools, a diverse workforce of more than 7,000, an annual operating budget of more than $1 billion and a clinical practice that provides more than 2 million patient visits each year, UT Health San Antonio plans to add more than 1,500 higher-wage jobs over the next five years to serve San Antonio, Bexar County and South Texas. To learn about the many ways “We make lives better®,” visit http://uthscsa.edu.
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Hill Country MHDD Centers serves the greater Texas Hill Country Region, including 19 counties: Bandera, Blanco, Comal, Edwards, Gillespie, Hays, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Llano, Mason, Medina, Menard, Real, Schleicher, Sutton, Uvalde and Val Verde. With a mission of Promoting Independence, Community Integration, and Recovery, Hill Country MHDD Centers has 22 locations, including 14 Mental Health Clinics and 8 Developmental Disability Centers serving a population of over 630,000 within a 22,593 square mile area. To find out more about our services, please visit www.hillcountry.org.