Enhanced Mental Health Treatment for Veterans

AUSTIN – Tyler is one of six pilot sites in the state selected to take part in an initiative to increase access to clinical mental health treatment for military service members. The Andrews Center in Tyler, along with the Burk Center in Nacogdoches, were selected to take part in the program. The six centers provide services to veterans across 39 Texas counties. Veteran counselors were recently hired at the pilot sites using existing program funding. Training for the new counselors was completed a couple of months ago. They are able to provide acute mental health services to military service members, veterans and their families. Among the areas they are skilled in are suicide prevention and intervention.

According to a news release from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the veteran counselors are specifically trained to understand military culture and military-related traumas such as: post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, and moral injury. They conduct evaluations and assessments for treatment planning and provide complex crisis intervention and stabilization to clients who are in psychological distress.