September 25, 2023
Board of Trustees Meeting – September 2023
Meetings are open to the public.
Click here to watch the 9/28 Board of Trustees meeting live webinar.
Then, click the “Continue on this browser” button. The meeting starts at 5pm.
September 14, 2023
Integral Care’s CEO Search
Integral Care is looking for its next CEO! Learn more about the role, who our ideal candidate is and more here.
On September 7, 2023 Integral Care received $400,000 from SAMHSA to fully implement the Zero Suicide intervention and prevention model throughout Integral Care’s system of care to reduce suicide ideation, suicide attempts, and deaths by suicide for adults residing in Travis County. Integral Care’s implementation plan addresses all seven elements of the Zero Suicide Framework, utilizing a Population Health perspective and incorporating principles of health equity. The grant will allow Integral Care to hire three Suicide Care specialists to provide advanced suicide prevention trainings, partner with organizations in Travis County to develop referral pathways, reduce measurable disparity gaps in subpopulations at risk of suicide in Travis County, and increase Integral Care’s capacity to deliver evidence-based training to clinical and non-clinical staff serving populations at increased risk of suicide.
Integral Care will develop outreach and referral pathways with three partnering organizations: APD Victim Services, Travis County Jail Behavioral Health services, as well as Dell Medical and Behavioral Health Services.
August 28, 2023
Board of Trustees Meeting – August 2023
Click here to watch a recording of the 8/31 Board of Trustees meeting.
Meetings are open to the public.
August 25, 2023
Back-to-School Community Forum on Sept. 18
Attend the virtual community forum, “Supporting Kids’ Mental Health During Back-to-School,” in partnership with Austin Public Health. Panelists will talk about how to spot a mental health issue, tips for talking to kids about mental health, suicide prevention, and available mental health resources. Register here.
July 24, 2023
Board of Trustees Meeting – July 2023
Meetings are open to the public.
Click here to watch the 7/27 Board of Trustees meeting live webinar.
Then, click the “Continue on this browser” button. The meeting starts at 5pm.
On July 11, 2023, Integral Care’s IDD Services Program was awarded $25,000 to support successful community living for individuals with IDD. This funding will help increase successful outcomes and build opportunities for these clients to share their gifts and talents within the community. It will also allow Integral Care to supplement the healthcare needs of IDD individuals living in Travis County. In addition to counseling, IDD Services prioritizes referrals for various mental and health services. This funding will allow IDD Services team to enhance efforts to support individuals with needs such as housing stability, adequate nutrition, and appropriate physical and mental health needs, such as but not limited to dental services, medications, personal hygiene, phones, tablets, and transportation. Integral Care recognizes these social determinants of health as contributors to the overall health and well-being of individuals within our community.
Integral Care received $1,000,000 from SAMHSA to continue its Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) Grant Program for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness for the fourth year. The AOT Program helps to bridge the gap between inpatient and outpatient mental health services, improve treatment outcomes and reduce incidence of inpatient psychiatric bed stays and reduce criminal justice involvement. The Austin AOT program uses evidence-based intervention designed to promote treatment adherence and empower client engagement in managing their care. The population served through this funding are adult clients in Travis County who persistently struggle with adherence to needed treatment for their mental illness and meet criteria for AOT under Texas state law.
The program partners with Travis County Probate Court, Travis County Clerk’s Office and Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin to establish a framework for identification, referral and the care and treatment of clients living with serious mental illness. Other community partners include NAMI Central Texas, Austin State Hospital and Travis County Sheriff’s Office. All client treatment plans employ a recovery-oriented approach and utilize motivational interviewing strategies, psychiatric advanced directives, and collaborative, individually tailored plans.
June 26, 2023
CANCELED – Board of Trustees Meeting – June 2023
The June 2023 Board of Trustees Meeting has been canceled.
Integral Care’s Board of Trustees invite the community to provide input into the qualities and strengths they seek in Integral Care’s new CEO. They are also soliciting input from Integral Care staff. Share your thoughts by completing this brief survey, which closes at 5pm on Tuesday, July 11th. Please share the survey with your constituents or other organizations for whom it may be of interest.
August 21, 2023
Understanding the Impact of Extreme Heat on Mental Health
Wendy Amozurrutia-Salazar, Practice Manager, recently spoke to KUT about how extreme heat can impact not only our physical health, but also our mental health. Read or listen here.
July 14, 2023
St. John Clinic Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
KUT, Spectrum News, CBS Austin, and KXAN recently ran pieces highlighting the ribbon cutting ceremony of the new St. John Clinic:
July 13, 2023
INTEGRAL CARE OPENS NEW CLINIC IN NORTH AUSTIN
Opening July 17, Integral Care’s St. John Clinic will offer integrated primary and mental health care for more than 5,000 adults and children in Travis County.
The clinic is located at 6937 N. IH 35, Austin, TX 78752. Lone Star Circle of Care will serve as the primary care provider, offering family medicine and pediatric services.
“Integrated primary and mental health care brings together health professionals such as psychiatrists, physicians, nurse practitioners, case managers under one roof. This team collaborates to support the whole person – body and mind – improving health outcomes for clients,” said Integral Care CEO David Evans.
Other services available at the location include counseling programs, wellness programs, a pharmacy for clients, and referrals to community resources. Administrative offices will also be onsite. In addition, the building will feature free meeting space for community members and murals painted by artists from Art from the Streets.
The St. John Clinic is located in an area of Travis County that is significant in Austin’s African American history. Beginning in 1869, the area hosted the annual Great St. John Encampment, dubbed “Black Austin’s homecoming.” African Americans from across Central Texas would make a pilgrimage to the St. John community for a social, religious, and educational conference.
Integral Care, along with collaborators Lone Star Circle of Care, Travis County and the City of Austin, will continue efforts to expand access to quality mental and primary health care that serves the diverse needs of our community.
“We only get the community that we deserve when we decide to build it together,” Travis County Commissioner Jeff Travillion said. “This is an opportunity to build something very special together.”
Over 100 people attended the ribbon cutting ceremony on July 12. Photos of the event can be downloaded here.
St. John Clinic Ribbon Cutting
From left to right: Integral Care Board of Trustees Member H. Ed Calahan; Integral Care Chief Equity Officer Dr. Amanda Banks; Integral Care Provider Network Authority Officer Louise Lynch; Lone Star Circle of Care Chief Financial Officer Brandon Teenier; Travis County Executive for Health and Human Services Pilar Sanchez; Integral Care Chief Executive Officer David Evans; Travis County Commissioner Jeff Travillion, Precinct 1; Integral Care Board of Trustees Chair Trish Young Brown; Integral Care Chief Operations Officer Dawn Handley; Integral Care Board of Trustees Member Emmitt Hayes; Dr. A.W. Anthony Mays of the St. John Baptist Association; Integral Care Chief Strategy Officer Anne Nagelkirk
For immediate mental health crisis support, call Integral Care 24/7 at 512-472-4357.
About Integral Care
Integral Care helps people build health and well-being so everyone has the foundation to reach their full potential. Integral Care supports adults and children living with mental illness, substance use disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities in Travis County. Integral Care’s 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. Integral Care helps provide a strong foundation for well-being. Founded in 1967, Integral Care is the Local Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disability Authority in Travis County. For more information, visit IntegralCare.org.
About Lone Star Circle of Care
Founded in 2001 in Georgetown, Lone Star Circle of Care (LSCC) is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) providing exceptional and accessible health care to nearly 100,000 patients in Bastrop, Bell, Burnet, Williamson, Travis, and Harris counties, most of whom are uninsured or underinsured. Throughout LSCC’s network of 27 clinic sites and a mobile unit, the health center provides the full spectrum of comprehensive primary care services, including Pediatrics, Family Medicine, Senior, OB/GYN, Mobile Mammography, Behavioral Health, Dental, Vision, and Pharmacy. Lone Star Circle of Care is committed to building healthy families and strong communities by connecting their patients with the services they need to achieve optimal health and wellness.
About Art From The Streets
The mission of Art From the Streets is to provide a safe and encouraging environment in which the positive spirit and creativity for those experiencing homelessness are nurtured through their own artistic expression. These artistic endeavors form a pathway to self-determination by means of the sense of achievement, social connections, and income generated through the pursuit of their art. Because focusing on housing alone does not achieve other equally important goals that are relevant and motivating to improving and sustaining a quality of life. For more information, visit artfromthestreets.org.
KUT, CBS Austin, and KVUE recently ran pieces highlighting the one-year anniversary of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and Integral Care’s role in our community and the area our call center staff serve:
Check out this feature on Integral Care on the City of Austin’s YouTube channel.
The University of Texas at Austin’s Dell Medical School and LBJ School of Public Affairs have released a cost-saving analysis of The Inn, Integral Care’s 16-bed residential treatment program. The study found that The Inn saves taxpayers millions of dollars in public costs while improving outcomes for people experiencing a mental health crisis.
Mental Health Weekly talked to Integral Care about The Inn’s approach.
We are proud to receive national recognition from CrisisNow for our co-location at the 911 Call Center. Our collaboration with first responders streamlines the entire system of crisis care in our community. We have consulted approximately 30 other cities, states, and even a police department in Canada on our model. Our first responder friends, the City of Austin and Travis County are true collaborators helping move this innovation forward.
April 21, 2020
Kirk Watson: A True Champion for Brain Health
As our community grapples with COVID-19 and the impact on patients, healthcare workers and the healthcare system, we are beginning to recognize the toll this situation is taking on mental health. Whether it is an essential worker under pressure to perform on the job while worrying about exposure or someone with a compromised immune system isolated at home, COVID-19 is having short and long-term impact on our mental health. During these anxiety ridden times, it is reassuring to know that we have systems in place to address our community’s mental health needs and unexpected challenges.
The changes and concerns that have come with the COVID-19 pandemic are impacting the mental health and well-being of many in our community — with job losses, school closures, health concerns and separation from our loved ones. KXAN talked to Integral Care about how to support someone who may be experiencing a mental health crisis.
https://www.kxan.com/news/simplehealth/tips-on-identifying-and-responding-to-a-mental-health-crisis-during-covid-19/?fbclid=IwAR1R9AYe30k_x6zTVQTDj308qjMuFQFT2_xM0S5i4it4wFJYN7zGZcQcBvU
September 23, 2019
Integral Care Celebrates Completion of Terrace at Oak Springs
Integral Care marked completion of Terrace at Oak Springs with a Ribbon Cutting and Community Celebration. KXAN attended both events to learn more about this new 50-unit Housing First apartment community that supports recovery from homelessness, mental health issues and substance use disorder. Watch it here.
July 18, 2023
July 26 Virtual Community Forum
On Wednesday, July 26th at noon, Integral Care invites you to join us for a virtual Community Forum. In recognition of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) Mental Health Awareness Month, this virtual community forum will follow this year’s national theme, “Culture, Community, & Connection.”
Integral Care’s Chief Equity Officer and clinicians from across the agency will discuss:
• Cultural stigma associated with mental health
• Tips for finding culturally competent providers
• How healthcare experiences can be improved for BIPOC people
• Resources available for BIPOC communities.
https://integralcare.org/en/bipoc-mhm-2023/
May 2, 2023
May 24 Virtual Community Forum
The State of Children’s Mental Health
In recent years, we’ve seen significant increases in certain mental health disorders in children and youth, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. The COVID-19 pandemic era introduced a new set of challenges for children and youth in the U.S., but children and teens have been struggling for far longer. According to the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, feelings of persistent sadness, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors increased by about 40% among young people over the last 10 years leading up to the pandemic.
On Wednesday, May 24 at noon, Integral Care and NAMI Central Texas invite you to join us for a virtual Community Forum, “The State of Children’s Mental Health.” Clinicians and parents with lived experience will discuss the following topics:
- Factors that are negatively impacting children and youth the mental health
- Signs parents can watch for
- How to start the conversation around mental health
- Resources available for parents and caregivers
https://integralcare.org/en/cmh-forum/
March 9, 2023
March 30 Virtual Community Forum
Making a Difference: Peer Support in IDD Services
Individuals with an intellectual and / or developmental disabilities (ID/DD) suffer disproportionately with mental health conditions. Reasons often include stress related to frustrating social challenges and trauma such as physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, neglect and bullying. These inherent challenges create a unique susceptibility for the development of mental health conditions. Peer Support Services provide an opportunity for people with ID/IDD to develop social skills, learn how to advocate for their needs and give and receive mutual support from others with lived experience.
On Thursday, March 30 at noon, Integral Care invites you to join us for a virtual Community Forum, “Making a Difference: Peer Support in IDD Services.” Experts from across Texas will discuss the following topics.
- What Peer Support is and what Peer Support Specialists do
- How Peer Support Services for IDD came to be
- The current status of Peer Support in Texas, what’s on the horizon and how you can get involved
integralcare.org/2023-idd-forum
February 3, 2023
Central Texas African American Family Support Conference
To kick off Black History Month, a local event sheds light on mental health from the perspective of the African American community. Every February, Integral Care hosts the Central Texas African American Family Support Conference (CTAAFSC) to share mental health information and resources as well as build a community of support.
This year’s conference will take place Feb. 7-8 at the Palmer Events Center. The keynote speakers are Dr. Rheeda Walker, Professor of Psychology and Licensed Clinical Psychologist at the University of Houston, and Thabiti Boone, Former Obama White House Fatherhood Initiative Representative and New York Knicks Community Liaison.
Sessions will cover topics such as stigma around mental health in the African American community, health equity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and systemic barriers facing African American youth and their parents. Click here to view the schedule of events.
Established over 20 years ago, CTAAFSC was the first conference in Texas and only the third in the United States to focus on the healthcare needs of African Americans. The conference was born from a desire to confront the systems and cultural bias that have resulted in African Americans facing barriers to healthcare access.
November 19, 2022
December 7 Virtual Community Forum
The 88th Texas Legislature: Preparing Mental Health, Substance Use Disorder and IDD Advocates
Over the last decade, the Texas Legislature has made an extraordinary commitment to mental health. Texas’ 88th Legislative Session kicks off on January 10, 2023. This creates more opportunities to further improve the issues affecting the mental health of Texans as well as the impact of substance use on our state and the needs of people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
On Wednesday, December 7 at noon, Integral Care and Texas Council of Community Centers invite you to join us for a virtual Community Forum, “The 88th Texas Legislature: Preparing Mental Health, Substance Use Disorder and IDD Advocates.”
October 21, 2022
Board of Trustees Meeting 10/27
The October Board of Trustees meeting will be held in person at 1430 Collier St, Austin, TX 78704, and will be streamed online.
Webinar link: click here
Join us every 3rd Wednesday of the month for this informative wellness series – the Together We Will Heal forum – that talks about mental health, substance use disorder, intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as the general wellbeing of African Americans. CTAAFSC’s vision is to educate the African American community on these topics and to provide resources around black mental health.
October 7, 2022
CTAAFSC Family Reunion
Renew, Empower and Advocate for Lasting Change
The Central Texas African American Family Support Conference (CTAAFSC) Committee is pleased to invite you to the CTAAFSC Reunion Day. Our theme is Renew, Empower and Advocate for Lasting Change (#REALChange).
Learn more & Register at https://ctaafsc.com/reunion/
September 26, 2022
Sept. 28 Spanish Community Forum:
On Wednesday, September 28th at noon, Integral Care and NAMI Central Texas invite you to join us for a virtual Spanish Community Forum – Meaningful Steps to Preventing Suicide Among Hispanic Youth. Experts from across Travis County will discuss the following topics – all from a Latinx perspective.
– – – – –
El miércoles 28 de septiembre a las doce del día, Integral Care y NAMI Central Texas lo invitan a unirse a un foro virtual para la comunidad completamente en español donde hablaremos acerca de los pasos significativos para prevenir el suicidio entre las(os) adolescentes hispanas(os).
May 3, 2022
May 12 Spanish Community Forum:
Únase a Integral Care Y a NAMI de Central Texas el jueves 12 de mayo en un foro comunitario de formato virtual. Estaremos hablando acerca de cómo ofrecer apoyo a miembros familiares de personas que viven con problemas de salud mental en la comunidad Latina.
September 15, 2023
Transparencies – September 2023
A Message From Our CEO:
September is an important time as we observe both National Recovery Month and Suicide Prevention Month. These observances call for action and provide opportunities to raise awareness around issues that impact us all.
Recent findings from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, released by SAMHSA, underline the urgent need for our collective efforts:
- 46.3 million people aged 12 or older (or 16.5 percent of the population) met the criteria for having a substance use disorder in the past year, including 29.5 million people who were classified as having an alcohol use disorder and
- 24 million people who were classified as having a drug use disorder.
12.3 million adults aged 18 or older had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year, 3.5 million made suicide plans, and 1.7 million attempted suicide.
Integral Care is proud to be a cornerstone of support for our community.
August 3, 2023
Transparencies – August 2023
A Message From Our CEO:
The regular 88th Legislative Session ended in May, with two special sessions called by Governor Abbott to address remaining policy issues. In recent years, mental health has emerged as a critical public health issue, demanding urgent attention from policymakers and stakeholders alike. As economic challenges and events such as the COVID-19 pandemic continue to affect people’s well-being, the need for comprehensive mental health services and support has become increasingly evident. This session, Texas had an unprecedented surplus of $32.7B to work with and lawmakers negotiated a $321.3B budget. The Legislature appropriated $9.4B to behavioral health across 25 state agencies, a 15% increase from last session. Behavioral Health legislation was top of mind this session, with some notable behavioral health bills.
June 16, 2023
Integral Care’s CEO Succession Process
After 30 years of steadfast service, David Evans will be transitioning out of his role as Integral Care’s CEO by the end of 2023 – until his successor is in place. CEO succession planning efforts are led by Integral Care’s Board of Trustees and are underway.
Here, we will provide regular updates on important developments throughout the process.
June 2023
- The Board is reviewing proposals from executive search firms. Once a firm is hired, they will assist the Board in identifying qualified candidates for this position and our organization.
- We shared a survey with our community, collaborators, staff, and stakeholders to gain insight into the qualities and strengths they are seeking in Integral Care’s new CEO. The anonymous survey will close on July 17. You can take the survey here.
May 2023
- We announced that CEO David Evans is transitioning his role as Integral Care’s CEO to the next generation of leadership.
- We launched an RFP for executive search firms.
June 8, 2023
Transparencies – June 2023
A Message From Our CEO:
Last month, Integral Care, alongside Austin Public Health, the City of Austin, and Travis County, launched Ask, Listen, Talk, Repeat, a community-wide mental health awareness campaign designed to encourage conversations about mental health with our children and teens.
Each June, we celebrate Pride Month, a time to recognize the impact and contributions of LGBTQIA+ communities, and honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a significant historical moment for the queer rights movement. This year, we also want to shine a light on LGBTQIA+ youth mental health.
May 1, 2023
Transparencies – May 2023
A Message From Our CEO:
May is Mental Health Month, a time to recognize the importance of taking care of our mental health. This Mental Health Month, we are excited to announce that Integral Care and NAMI Central Texas have partnered up again to create a Mental Health Month Toolkit. With growing concerns over the state of mental health among children and youth, the focus of this year’s toolkit is supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and youth.
April 7, 2023
Transparencies – April 2023
A Message From Our CEO:
April is National Counseling Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about the positive impact counseling can have on our mental health and well-being, and fight back against the stigma that still exists around seeking mental health care. It is also a time to recognize and honor the meaningful, and often life-changing, contributions counselors make each day.
Read more…
March 13, 2023
Transparencies – March 2023
A Message From Our CEO:
In celebration of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, I want to recognize the important work our team is doing in the community each day to ensure that adults and children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) have the tools they need to build healthy relationships, live in the community and thrive.
Read more…
February 21, 2023
Transparencies – February 2023
A Message From Our CEO:
Each February, we celebrate Black History Month – a time to honor the legacy and achievements of Black Americans. At Integral Care, February also marks the annual Central Texas African American Family Support Conference – the first conference in Texas to focus on the healthcare needs of African Americans. Integral Care has sponsored this event for 23 years. This year’s conference, which took place last week, featured critical conversations around how adverse childhood experiences can impact adulthood, post incarceration syndrome, Black women, caregiving and parenting, and much, much more. People with lived experience shared inspiring stories. Professionals offered critical tools and resources. Meaningful relationships were built. I am grateful to the incredible conference Planning Committee for putting together another memorable and meaningful event that united and energized attendees and look forward to continuing the conversations that were started.
Read more…
January 24, 2023
Transparencies – January 2023
A Message From Our CEO:
Racism, discrimination, and inequity can significantly affect a person’s mental health. African Americans are 20% more likely to experience serious mental health issues than the general population and only one in three Black adults who need mental health care receive it. One study showed that 63% of Black people believe that a mental health condition is a sign of personal weakness. A lack of access to culturally competent care, mistrust in the American medical system, and a generational stigma related to recognizing mental health crises have created an environment where disparities in mental health care are far too common.
Every February, Integral Care hosts the Central Texas African American Family Support Conference (CTAAFSC) to share information and resources as well as build a community of support. Established over 20 years ago, CTAAFSC was the first conference in Texas and only the third in the United States to focus on the healthcare needs of African Americans. The conference was born from a desire to confront the systems and cultural bias that have resulted in African Americans facing barriers to healthcare access.
October 21, 2022
Transparencies – October 2022
A Message From Our CEO
Integral Care remains committed to eradicating institutional racism and structural inequities within our organization. At the recommendation of our Board/Staff Ad Hoc Committee on Racial Equity, Integral Care launched our interim Racial Equity Plan in May 2021. The interim plan was built from crucial conversations with our staff and collaboration with a national expert in the field of racial equity and cultural competency. It was also developed with the intent that racial equity would be incorporated into our strategic planning going forward. We updated our last Strategic Plan to include racial equity efforts and fully integrated it into the process of creating our new FY23-25 Strategic Plan.