To address mental health issues in East Texas, the Andrews Center will host the first East Texas Mental Health Summit on Tuesday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the W.T. Brookshire Conference Center.
After the 88th Texas Legislature last May, Andrews Center CEO Lynn Rutland said she felt more could be done for mental health.
“There was some great stuff that was funded through the state Legislature for things that are really important to us, like state employees and state facilities,” Rutland said. “But we spoke up and said we need to do more research and bring community mental health to the forefront more.”
In July 2023, they started imagining what a mental health summit would look like and chose to hold it in May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month.
“We want to shine a bright spotlight on this issue and remind all the world that anyone, regardless of race, gender, or age, can be depressed and anxious, and some people can suffer from serious mental illness.” Let's let Texans know…let's get help,'' Rutland said.
Organizers' goal is to address the rising suicide rate in East Texas and bring people together to talk about mental health. East Texas has the highest per capita rate in Texas. In the counties served by the Andrews Center (Raines, Wood, Van Zandt, Smith, and Henderson), there are two suicides per week. That means about 100 deaths each year, Rutland said.
“This is an important indicator that says, 'We need to move in a different direction, we need to step up,'” Rutland said.
The average national and state suicide rate is approximately 12 per 100,000 people. In Anderson County, the suicide rate is 30 per 100,000 people. In Smith County, it's 19 per 100,000 people. Most counties in Northeast Texas have more than 15 or 16 cases per 100,000 people. Half of these counties have suicide rates twice the state and national averages, said Dr. Cheryl McCallum-Smith, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the University of Texas at Tyler and Robert M. Rogers Professor of Health. .
There is a correlation between the percentage of a county that is rural and its suicide rate. These counties also have fewer mental health providers and no psychiatrists. McCollum-Smith said there is a long waiting list for mental health care at UT Tyler.
Mr McCallum-Smith said: 'We are working on the delivery of care in primary care settings and how we can scale up our services to support everyone when and where they need help. “I will.”
East Texas residents face barriers when seeking mental health help. The main barriers are the stigma of asking for help and the lack of available resources. They also do not accept waitlists at the Andrews Center. They supply 158% of what the state requires for its adult population. They serve 132% of the children the state needs. That means serving more people but being stretched thin on staff, Rutland said.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis in Texas, the first number people can call is 988. In addition, the Andrews Center has a mobile crisis support team. Last month, they received 702 calls from over 300 people. Of those, 350 required hospitalization to stabilize their symptoms, Rutland said.
“When you look at both the crisis numbers, which are getting a little hotter, and you look at the suicide mortality rate, which is way too high, you have to believe that we can envision a better way,” Rutland said. Ta.
East Texas has a high suicide rate among people 65 and older. Additionally, East Texans face higher rates of food insecurity. Stress and lack of sleep may contribute to increased suicide rates. A national survey found that 17% of Northeast Texas residents frequently experience mental distress. This is 4 points higher than the national average of 13.3%. They say that in a month he experiences 5 and a half mentally unhealthy days. In contrast, the national average is 4.2 mentally unhealthy days. People in Northeast Texas have three percentage points higher rates of physical pain and physical pain days, McCallum-Smith said.
UT Tyler received funding to become the nation's first collaborative health institution. This will bring in community health workers and collaborate with primary care providers. We also plan to train mental health providers in a collaborative care model where primary care is integrated with behavioral health care. It also aims to address external factors affecting people and connect people to resources, McCallum-Smith said.
“I don't doubt that there are people out there who are depressed because they just lost their home,” McCallum-Smith said. “Let's help you connect with someone about housing. And if you're still depressed, talk about treatment and other things… We're really helping primary care providers, tracking people and also , giving patients the help they want.”
The summit will feature three speakers: Andy Keller, president and CEO of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, and Linda Perryman Evans, chair of the board. Lee Johnson, CEO of the Texas Council of Community Centers; and McCallum Smith.
Keller will begin by talking about the work the Meadows Institute is doing on mental health in Texas. Prime Minister Johnson will spend the last 30 minutes speaking about the 88th Congress and his hopes for the future. Finally, McCallum-Smith, who studies suicide and prevention, shares her ideas on these topics.
The last hour will be for people to browse the vendors. It also plans to hold a meeting for elected officials to talk, ask questions and learn from Mr Johnson ahead of the 89th Congress.
They want to fill the conference center with 2,000 people. They encourage people to arrive early.Doors open at 1:15 p.m.
“This whole event is a launching pad for a lot of great work that can be done locally,” Rutland said. “Sometimes we have to ask the state for help. Sometimes we have to ask our federal partners for help, but at the end of the day, we all need to come together, talk, and look to the future.” We believe we can make a real difference in this field by simply doing , where will it take us?
For more information about the summit, visit https://www.andrewscenter.com/east-texas-mental-health-summit/. To register for a summit visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/east-texas-mental-health-summit-tickets-789240548727.
