Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

In the brief time since our inception, MMHPI has earned a reputation as the most trusted and experienced mental health policy resource available to lawmakers and public officials across the State. We've become known as an objective, credible source of information and analysis for state, regional, and local officials and institutions. MMHPI has offices in Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio, and projects in every region of the state. We are known to be an independent, objective and non-partisan source of information and analysis. Over these past four years we have:

Begun to change the discussion about behavioral health issues in the Texas legislature, the courts, the criminal justice system, government agencies, and with local government decision makers;
Influenced the trajectory of long-term public funding for mental health services and research;
Worked proactively to increase the number of licensed behavioral health practitioners throughout the State;
Helped create a climate for thoughtful and confident legislative decision making through substantive, data-driven analysis of the issues;
Taken the initiative to confront the tragic mental health implications of Hurricane Harvey along the Texas Gulf Coast;
Created and sustained "Okay to Say," a public awareness strategy designed to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness; and
Built an unsurpassed professional team that can take initiative and rapidly respond to changing circumstances.

Our Needs

First and foremost, MMHPI is in the business of formulating smart and innovative statewide behavioral health policy to change the trajectory of mental health care in Texas forever.

Beyond statewide policy concerns, every region of our State has its own distinct behavioral health challenges - jails that serve as repositories for people who commit no crime other than being ill, children stricken by post-traumatic stress as a result of Hurricane Harvey, inadequate pediatric mental health screening, a staggering deficiency of licensed behavioral health professionals, especially in rural areas, emergency rooms that encounter a constant barrage of people with mental illness trapped in cycles of homelessness, jails, and hospitals.

The role for local private philanthropy is critical to rapid and successful change in every community. We appreciate your willingness to partner with us to assure that every Texan has access to compassionate and effective mental health care.