Lakey Backs Efforts to Upgrade Mental Health Facilities

AUSTIN — There’s strong bipartisan support to fix the state’s crumbling mental health infrastructure, with some key backing coming from Tyler. The Senate Finance Committee unanimously passed legislation to begin that process. The state estimates that it will take at least a billion dollars in repairs to save the infrastructure. State Senator Charles Schwertner’s bill would set up the State Hospital Fund. Many of the hospitals in question were built as far back as the 1880s. Former State Health Services Commissioner Dr. David Lakey (pictured) endorsed the bill. Lakey is now senior vice president for population health at UT Health Northeast and associate vice chancellor for the UT System.