The chairs of the psychiatry departments at UT Health Institutions, non-UT Institutions, and local and state mental health department representatives are meeting regularly to discuss opportunities to improve coordination between the state and academic mental health. 

Significant discussion has occurred in the following three areas:

Coordination with Community Mental Health

• A white paper is being developed to identify mechanisms and funding needs to establish residency programs and contracts with the local mental health authorities (LMHAs) utilizing a model based upon a precedent in Dallas with UT Southwestern. 

Coordination with State Hospitals

• Significant discussion has occurred within this group and especially within the UT system institutions on potential partnership models to enhance mental health inpatient care, strategies to potentially replace the currently outdated state mental health system, and strategies to add inpatient psychiatric services in Texas.

Research Collaboration Opportunities

• The group is exploring potential collaborative research projects among institutions, and with their own institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA).  

For more information contact: Nagla Elerian