The Department of Behavioral Health

Our Mission

  • Act as Commissioner’s Court advocate, expert, and clearinghouse on community mental health issues and programs.
  • Lead in planning, coordinating, advocating, and organizing community behavioral health stakeholders in activities to continuously improve the availability of services in Bexar County.

Our Vision

  • Transform Bexar County to a National model of a mentally healthy community.

 Our Purpose:

  • Identify Gaps: The Department identifies overlap and system needs to best serve the mental health community.
  • Increase Capacity: The Department identifies resources that can be leveraged and identifies new funding streams to increase service capacity for persons in need.
  • Identify and recommend best use of County dollars: The Department identifies emerging best practices and monitors costs specific to the provision of treatment of persons suffering from mental illness

Goals and Objectives: 

Devote exclusive attention to:

  • Providing a systematic process to continuously assess the needs for mental health services in the community and prioritize the best investment of County funds to meet those needs
  • Creating a seamless system of care and safety net services for the mentally ill by improving services at multiple points of entry to care, and coordinating programs, providers and services
  • Lead mental health stakeholders in pursuing strategies supporting the improved system of care
  • Continuing the work of the Bexar County Mental Health Consortium to further the strategic plan to:
    • Raise awareness in the community
    • Address community needs
    • Coordinate with public policy leaders
    • Impact legislation
    • Facilitate training
    • Recruit and retain Mental Health professionals
    • Ensure a coordinated system of care in the community
  • Establishing a partnership with the Center for Health Care Services (CHCS) to ensure that gaps, needs, and services identified by the community are formalized and incorporated in CHCS’s service delivery plan
  • Being Commissioner’s Court expert/advocate on mental health issues and programs in the County; negotiate contracts for mental health services while tracking performance measures, program compliance, and effectiveness

Current Actions: 

  • Reduce number of persons with mental illness from inappropriate incarceration
  • Convene Bexar County Mental Health Consortium and Legislative Symposium
  • Promote methods that encourage the reduction of the stigma of mental illness
  • Encourage, expand, and support effective mental health treatment services for the citizens of Bexar County

Reports:

Homeless Healthcare Analysis (March 2018) (PDF)

Community Medical Director's Roundtable:

View Most Recent / View Entire Archive

Cost Studies:

Mental Health Systems Cost Assessment (September 2016) (PDF)