FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Munji Nfor, Ext. Affairs and PR Manager
Email: Munji.Nfor@integralcare.org
August 21, 2026 | Austin, Texas — Dawn Handley, Integral Care’s Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, has been awarded a Women in Business Award by the Austin Business Journal. With more than 30 years of community leadership and volunteer service across Central Texas, this recognition encapsulates Handley’s dedication to mental health and well-being for all in one of the nation’s fastest growing regions. Since 2008, Handley has reshaped the mental health landscape of Travis County. She has directed a full continuum of services including crisis response, outpatient behavioral health, substance use treatment, intellectual and developmental disability services, and integrated medical care.
Handley’s management of this variety of services and background in social work provides a uniquely informed and intentional approach to innovation. To increase access to suicide diversion support, she led the expansion of the 988 Crisis Lifeline across 76 Texas counties, where 97% of calls are resolved without higher level intervention. This reduces the reliance on emergency rooms and law enforcement, lowering the cost of crisis support overall. She also helped integrate clinicians into Austin’s 911 call center and led the Expanded Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (EMCOT), advancing co-response models that divert non-violent mental health calls into clinical care.
A 2025 study by the LBJ School and Cornell University analyzing 20,629 mental health-related 911 calls (2019–2025) found clinician involvement led to a 43% reduction in in involuntary detentions, 34% fewer arrests, and over 50% less officer time on scene. This saves approximately 26 minutes per call.
Integral Care is proud to have been selected as Handley’s space to make the world a better place. Her humble and passionate approach to leadership has benefitted thousands, and the impact of her work will echo in generations of happier, healthier, communities.
“It’s an honor to receive a Women in Business Award from the Austin Business Journal, and I’d like to recognize the amazing people I’ve had the privilege to work alongside. To our clinicians, counselors, therapists, case managers, helpline responders, and so many others across Integral Care—your commitment, expertise, and heart transform lives. I’m also grateful to the individuals we serve, who trust us to be part of their journey toward health and well-being. This award reflects the collective impact of our work together, and I’m proud to celebrate it with all of you.” – Dawn Handley, COO, Integral Care
LINK TO AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL ARTICLE: Dawn Handley – Austin Business Journal
About Integral Care:
Integral Care improves the lives of adults and children living with mental illness, substance use disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities in Travis County. Our services include a 24-hour helpline for anyone who needs immediate support, ongoing counseling to improve mental health, drug and alcohol treatment to help with recovery, and housing to regain health and independence. As the Local Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authority, Integral Care has pioneered high-quality, community-based care since 1967, collaborating with partners to build a supportive network and combat mental health stigma in Austin.
To learn more about Integral Care, visit our website at: www.integralcare.org
MEDIA CONTACT:
Munji Nfor, External Affairs and Public Relations Manager, Munji.Nfor@integralcare.org