Few mental health providers outside of those in the public sector are able to immediately serve people who are in crisis. This makes community mental health programs like Texas’ Local Mental Health Authorities (LMHAs) the best option when you’re having a mental health crisis and need help right away. The people who answer Texas crisis lines can help determine the best response to your crisis, whether it’s assistance with obtaining inpatient treatment or setting up a first appointment with a counselor. They will also listen and offer immediate support. In Texas, LMHAs are often good options for people with one of the three diagnoses they were originally authorized to treat (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder), especially people who have one of those diagnoses and limited financial means. It is also often easier to obtain substance use disorder services through the public mental health system than through the private sector. Texas is currently expanding its public mental health system and updating eligibility requirements to extend services to people with other conditions including anxiety or trauma-related disorders. Whether you can get services for one of these conditions currently depends on which LMHA you call and their budget at the time. Available services vary among LMHAs but typically include psychiatry, medication management, case management, psychosocial rehabilitation, skills training, and counseling. Texas typically restricts counseling by type and diagnosis; most LMHAs that offer counseling offer cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to people with major depressive disorder and cognitive processing therapy (CPT) to people with PTSD (note that some LMHAs still aren’t budgeted to serve people with a diagnosis of PTSD unless they also have one of the “big three” diagnoses). In general, it never hurts to call. The staff that answer the phone lines for LMHAs in Texas aren’t just familiar with their own programs, but also know about other programs in the community that can meet the needs of people who aren’t eligible for public mental health care. A phone call can provide immediate support and help you confirm that you’re ready for treatment. If you find out that you’re not eligible or that your local LMHA isn’t a good fit, you can search for free or low-cost private practice counselors on https://www.opencounseling.com/ or try https://www.betterhelp.com/get-started/?go=true&transaction_id=102521ac193637677494859d0831d7&utm_source=affiliate&utm_campaign=157&utm_medium=macOS&utm_content=&utm_term=&not_found=1&gor=start

The relationship between gun violence and mental health is a complex and debated topic. While it is true that some individuals with mental health conditions may be involved in acts of violence, it's essential to understand that the majority of individuals with mental illnesses are not violent, and most acts of gun violence are not committed by individuals with diagnosed mental. Here are some key points to consider:

▸ Prevalence: The vast majority of people with mental health conditions are not violent. Research consistently shows that individuals with mental illnesses are more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators.

▸ Risk Factors: Some studies suggest that certain factors, such as substance abuse, a history of violence, or a combination of mental illness and other risk factors, may increase the risk of violent behavior. However, the presence of a mental health condition alone does not reliably predict violent behavior.

▸ Focus on Serious Mental Illness: When examining the relationship between mental health and gun violence, it is crucial to focus on severe mental illnesses such as untreated schizophrenia or psychosis, as these conditions may be associated with a slightly increased risk of violence, particularly when accompanied by substance abuse or non-adherence to treatment.

▸Access to Firearms: Studies have shown that access to firearms is a significant contributing factor to the lethality of violent acts, including homicides and suicides. Easy access to guns can exacerbate impulsive acts of violence, regardless of mental health status.

▸ Prevention and Intervention: Efforts to prevent gun violence should focus on multiple factors, including addressing systemic issues, promoting responsible gun ownership, improving mental health services and support, and implementing evidence-based violence prevention strategies.

▸ Stigma and Misconceptions: Linking mental illness to gun violence can perpetuate stigma and discourage individuals from seeking help. It is important to promote accurate information, reduce stigma, and ensure that people with mental health conditions receive appropriate support and treatment.

▸ COVID-19 pandemic led to increase in loneliness around the world</a><br>People around the world experienced an increase in loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic, which, although small, could have implications for people’s long-term mental and physical health, longevity, and well-being. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2022/05/covid-19-increase-loneliness

▸ Children with attention, behavior problems earn less money, have less education, poorer health as adults. Children who struggle with attention and behavior problems tend to end up earning less money, finish fewer years of school and have poorer mental and physical health as adults, compared with children who don’t show early attention and behavior problems. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2023/06/children-behavior-problems-poorer-health

Social stress, problem-solving deficits contribute to suicide risk for teen girls.             Teen girls who have greater difficulty effectively solving interpersonal problems when they experience social stress, and who experience more interpersonal stress in their lives, are at greater risk of suicidal behavior. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2023/05/social-stress-suicide-teen-girls

Therapy sessions benefit mothers, children in homeless shelter</a><br>Short-term therapy sessions with parents and their children in homeless shelters could help improve parenting skills and reduce parental stress and children’s posttraumatic stress symptoms. 

https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2023/05/therapy-mothers-children-homeless

More than a quarter of U.S. adults say they’re so stressed they can’t function. Concerns high around civil liberties, inflation, violence, with nearly half of adults saying they don’t feel protected by U.S. laws. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2022/10/multiple-stressors-no-function

APA calls for police reforms aimed at curbing use of force, protecting marginalized populations. APA has passed a wide-ranging resolution on policing that seeks to expand training programs to include de-escalation techniques, build stronger relations with mental health service agencies, minimize targeting of people of lower socioeconomic status, and encourage officers to restrict when they use force. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2022/08/police-reforms

Most efforts to prevent suicide focus on why people take their lives. But as we understand more about who attempts suicide and when and where and why it becomes increasingly clear that how a person attempts–the means they use–plays a key role in whether they live or die. “Means reduction” (reducing a suicidal person’s access to highly lethal means) is an important part of a comprehensive approach to suicide prevention. It is based on the following understandings (click on each to learn more):

• Many suicide attempts occur with little planning during a short-term crisis.
• Intent isn’t all that determines whether an attempter lives or dies; means also matter.
• 90% of attempters who survive do NOT go on to die by suicide later.
• Access to firearms is a risk factor for suicide.
• Firearms used in youth suicide usually belong to a parent.
• Reducing access to lethal means saves lives.

Firearm access can be a politically-charged topic. We welcome both gun owners and non-gun owners to this website. It is designed to introduce a non-controversial, “lethal means counseling” approach to reducing a suicidal person’s access to firearms and other lethal means. Families and friends who are concerned about someone can also help. Read more about ways to bring up storing guns off-site. Clinicians concerned about a patient should also consider addressing firearm safety with the patient, or with their family. The Harvard Injury Control Research Center is dedicated to reducing injury through training, research, intervention, evaluation, and dissemination. The Center has published hundreds of studies on injury topics ranging from motor vehicle crashes to alcohol use to youth violence and suicide. The Center is part of the Harvard School of Public Health. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/