Coalition Members:
Advocacy, Inc.
Capacity for Justice
Mental Health Association in Texas
NAMI, Texas
Private Providers Association of Texas
Texas Association on Mental Retardation
Texas Council of Community MHMR Centers, Inc.
Texas Depressive and Manic Association
Texas Federation of Families
Texas Mental Health Consumers
Texas Society of Psychiatric Physicians
The Arc of Texas

Mission:
The Community Services Coalition, established in FY '00 is a group of organizations interested in mental health and mental retardation issues whose mission is to improve the availability of community-based services for Texans with mental illness and mental retardation.

The Community Services Coalition focuses collaborative efforts to increase legislative funding for services benefiting people with mental illness and mental retardation.

To that end the Community Services Coalition will:

• Support member organization efforts to organize and train advocates in communities throughout Texas.

• Promote the efforts of advocates to educate legislators, staff and other public policy makers on issues effecting community-based MHMR services.

• Influence the development of the TDMHMR Legislative Appropriations Request by agency staff and Board members.

• Advocate prior to and during the Legislative Session for full funding for Coalition priorities.

• Educate the general public on key issues effecting children and adults with mental illness and mental retardation.

• Continually promote collaboration among Coalition partners to maintain the focus on key budget goals.

• Monitor the implementation of the TDMHMR operational budget following the Legislative Session.

Position Statement:
Mental Retardation Services:  The Coalition has adopted the following position related to FY '04-05 budget priorities for mental retardation services:

1.    Expand HCS Medicaid Waiver services over a period of six years such that after 2010 no individual will remain on a waiting list for more than two years.

2.    Expand state and local program and administrative support infrastructure to enable an effective and efficient ramp up of Waiver Service expansion over six years.

3.    Improve the quality of community-based mental retardation services by increasing the average direct care and nursing personnel wage to at least that offered in state facilities.

Mental Health Services:  The Coalition has adopted the following position related to FY '04-05 priorities for mental health services:

1.    Expand intensive services for high need adult consumers to strengthen the continuum of care and reduce the recycling of individuals through jails, emergency rooms, and state hospitals.

2.    Expand intensive services for high need children and establish early intervention services for children under the age of seven who are at risk of serious mental illness.

Community Systems Issues:
The Coalition recognizes the following as funding needs for the enhancement of community-based MR and MH services:

• Increase funding to offset rising health care costs of current services

• Increase funding to expand safety net services for population growth

• Increase funding to improve lower wages of community-based workers

• Distribute new funds to improve equity among Texas communities

Activities:
Pre-Session:  Preparation activities for the 78th Session have been underway for many months.  This has included monthly meetings to develop, revise, execute, and monitor the strategies we have set forth as well as dialogue with TDMHMR staff to not only keep the department apprised of the Coalition's efforts, but to ensure that collectively we send a unified message to the 78th Legislature.

The Coalition has further been visiting with legislators and hosting various legislative forums across the state to ensure its message is both heard and understood. 

During The Session:  Given the Comptroller's January 13, 2003 estimate of a $9.9 billion dollar shortfall as the 78th Legislature convenes, a united front by the Coalition and its member organizations will be critical in achieving our goals for responsible funding levels for the Texas mental health and mental retardation services system.

To accomplish this, the Coalition and its member organizations, will continue meeting, although meetings will now be held every Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. in the cafeteria located in the Capitol Extension.  The Coalition will further be making regular visits with legislators and their staff and testifying at appropriations hearings.
 

FY's 2004-2005 Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR):
The most critical component of the Coalition's efforts thus far has been to assure that TDMHMR included in its LAR sufficient funding requests to both improve the availability of community-based MH and MR services as well as to increase legislative funding for these services.  This was accomplished through a lengthy process over the last year which included the presentation of testimony to the TDMHMR Board, the Legislative Budget Board, and the governor's Office of Budget, Policy and Planning and our collaborative work with the department in the development of its LAR.

Beginning January 14, 2003, these efforts will shift to educating legislators on the importance of funding the request.

What You Can Do To Help

• Share the CSC's position with legislators in your area.

• Inform your families of this position and encourage them to visit their legislators and advocate for the Coalition's position.

• Participate in any local legislative forums that are occurring in your area.  Note:  MRA's are already scheduling these forums and inviting the participation of all interested stakeholders.

• Use the A Crisis That Must Be Dealt With Now & Fact Sheet to advocate for the dollars we need.

• If you have any questions or need assistance, please call the PPAT Office.