Story links: FORUM | FY24 BUDGET | PEER SUPPORT SERVICES | SUICIDE PREVENTION | CTAAFSC | CEO SEARCH
Coming Together for Recovery and Suicide Prevention
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. If you or someone you know is seeking assistance on the path to recovery or struggling with thoughts of suicide, please remember that help is always available at 512-472-HELP (4357). We encourage you to explore the array of resources that our organization offers, including integrated primary and mental health care, counseling services, drug and alcohol treatment, crisis services, and more.
Our community is rich with local organizations and initiatives dedicated to substance use recovery and suicide prevention. These resources stand as a testament to the power of collaboration and shared commitment. By leveraging these networks, we can amplify our impact and reach those who might otherwise feel isolated.
Local Recovery Resources
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) | (512) 444-0071
Find local meetings near you.
Communities for Recovery
Support groups and peer supported recovery services.
Bluebonnet Trails OSAR: Outreach, Screening, Assessment and Referral Program| Toll Free 1 (800) 841-1255
Free program that provides confidential alcohol and drug screenings and assessments, referrals to inpatient/outpatient programs, brief interventions, including motivational counseling, education and support, and case management.
Local Mental Health Resources
Helplines
Integral Care | (512) 472-HELP (4357) – Press 1 for English, then 1 for immediate support
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Interpreters available in many languages.
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline | 988
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call, text, or online chat available.
Crisis Text Line | Text TX to 741741
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Community Support Groups and Classes
NAMI Central Texas (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
Free groups and classes for individuals who experience mental health challenges as well as their families.
PFLAG
Free support group meetings for LGBTQ people, family members and friends in the Austin, Texas area.
Out Youth
Free support groups for LGBTQIA+ youth, teens, young adults and caregivers.
Virtual Tools
Ask, Listen, Talk, Repeat
This website gives you the tools you need to start conversations around mental health with kids, including how to spot a mental health issue, how to take care of your own mental health, and where to get help.
One Dose and It’s Over
This website offers resources to identify the signs of opioid use and overdose, to talk to your teenager about drug use, and how to use Narcan to reverse an opioid overdose. It also includes information about treatment options, support groups, harm reduction resources, Narcan, and more.
As we look ahead, remember that our combined efforts have the potential to transform lives. Acknowledging Recovery Month and Suicide Prevention Month isn’t just a gesture; it’s a commitment to honoring resilience and being there for one another at every step.
Recovery from substance use disorder is possible and suicide is preventable. When we come together as a community to raise awareness and fight stigma, it makes it easier for people to get connected to the help they need. By leading with compassion and empathy, we can build a community where everyone can thrive.
David Evans
Chief Executive Officer
Transparencies Archive
Past Transparencies sorted by year
2023
January 2023: Celebrating the 23rd Annual Central Texas African American Family Support Conference
February 2023: Honoring Black History Month
March 2023: Supporting the Needs of People Living with IDD
April 2023: Caring for the Caregivers: National Counseling Awareness Month
May 2023: Mental Health Month: Championing Our Children’s Mental Health
June 2023: Honoring Pride Month
July 2023: Recognizing One Year of 988 and BIPOC Mental Health Month
August 2023: 2023 Legislative Review & Our New Clinic
2022
December 2022: Looking Ahead to the 88th Legislative Session
November 2022: Supporting Children’s Mental Health
October 2022: Working Toward Racial Equity
September 2022: Coming Together on the Road to Recovery & Suicide Prevention
August 2022: Expanding Access to Critical Mental Health Support
July 2022: Supporting BIPOC Mental Health through Data
June 2022: Celebrating Pride Month
April-May 2022: Looking Ahead to Mental Health Month
March 2022: Honoring Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
February 2022: Strengthening Our Network of Mental Health Support
January 2022: Looking Ahead in 2022
2021
December 2021: Celebrating Progress & Innovation in 2021
November 2021: Action Steps Toward Preventing and Ending Homelessness
October 2021: Language Access & Racial Equity
September 2021: Treatment & Addiction Psychiatry at Integral Care
August 2021: Returning to School plus the Legislative Wrap-up
July 2021: Creating Lasting Change for BIPOC Mental Health
June 2021: Facts & Resources This Pride Month
May 2021: Mental Health Month
April 2021: How do we help Austinites experiencing homelessness?
March 2021: Growth and Positive Change
February 2021: How Do We Create a Better Future?
January 2021: Looking Ahead to the Legislative Session
2020
December 2020: Supporting Your Mental Health This Winter
November 2020: How do we rebuild health and well-being during a pandemic?
October 2020: With Collaboration Comes Innovation
September 2020: Success Stories of Recovery and Suicide Prevention
August 2020: A Back to School Season Like Never Before
July 2020: Minority Health Disparities & COVID-19
June 2020: Stronger Together
May 2020: Surviving and Thriving During Uncertain Times
April 2020: Persevering During COVID-19
March 2020: Collaborations and Initiatives to Improve Health for the IDD Population
February 2020:Solutions to Health and Health Care Disparities
January 2020: Sucicide Prevention a Local Effort
2019
December 2019: A Year of Thriving Care & Collaboration
November 2019: Teamwork and Collaboration Impact Homelessness in Travis County
October 2019:Making Strides for World Mental Health
September 2019: Taking Steps to Recovery Support
August 2019: Working Together for Child & Youth Mental Health
July 2019: Legislative Wrap-Up – Some Bipartisan Wins for Healthcare
June 2019: Strengthening Access for Veterans and the Entire Military Family
May 2019: Women and Mental Health
April 2019: Legislative Session Status Report
March 2019: Making Opportunities for Recovery More Accessible
February 2019: Recovery is Possible
January 2019: Stronger Outcomes Through Collaboration
December 2018: Looking ahead to the 86th Texas Legislature
November 2018: How Tech is Changing the Face of Mental Health
October 2018: A Few Questions Could Help Save a Life
September 2018: Anyone Can Save a Life
August 2018: A Milestone Moment
July 2018: Equity in Mental Health Care for All
June 2018: Expanding Services for Veterans
2018
May 2018: Your Mental Health Toolkit
April 2018: Time of Terror Calls for Increased Emotional Support
March 2018: Stopping the cycle of incarceration for individuals with mental illness
February 2018: Equity in mental healthcare for everyone
January 2018 : Improving Mental Health Through Partnership & Collaboration
2017
December 2017: Strength Through Community
November 2017 : Healthy Lifestyles Improve Well-Being
October 2017 : National Child Health Day
September 2017 : Strengthening Families and Communities
Highlight: FY24 Budget
Integral Care’s Board of Trustees approved the presented FY24 Budget of $131.5M at the August 31, 2023 board meeting. The operations portion of $129.4M of the $131.5M FY24 budget includes a decrease of $8.7M. This is mainly due to a decrease in Medicaid funding from FY23 to FY24. To present a required balanced budget to the Board, Integral Care experienced some reorganization and reduction in force (RIF) – both programmatic and administrative. The $131.5M presented budget includes $553K for an extended notice of 4 weeks to 6 weeks for all staff in positions that were included in the proposed program reorganization and RIF plan. The Board-approved budget included an extension of the staff notice period from 6 weeks to 12 weeks.
Integral Care’s FY24 budget is subject to change as new funding sources come in. Last week, Central Health’s Board of Managers approved their FY24 budget, which included a $7M resolution. These one-time funds have requirements that could support Integral Care program services that intersect and align with both Central Health’s and Integral Care’s missions to enhance services for low-income residents and improve health equity. Integral Care will present a proposal to Central Health’s Board of Managers on October 4, 2023. Central Health’s FY24 budget is subject to approval by Travis County Commissioners Court on September 19, 2023.
Integral Care is deeply grateful to Central Health, their Board of Managers, and our Board of Trustees for their ongoing commitment to mental health care in Travis County and continued support to meet the needs of our community. Along with Central Health, we greatly appreciate our local public funding partners including the City of Austin and Travis County.
We will provide updates on our website after the upcoming meetings.
Highlight: Learn more about Suicide Prevention
Preventing suicide starts with understanding how to spot the signs of a serious mental health issue and knowing when and how to take action. If you would like to learn more about suicide prevention, warning signs and risk factors, how to talk about suicide safely, and more, please reach out to us at outreach@integralcare.org. Our team can coordinate presentations for your school, church, business, or community.
We also offer community Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), which teaches participants how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health challenges, mental health crisis, or substance use challenges among adults. MHFA can save a life, just like CPR. We offer trainings customized for specific areas of interest.
CEO Search
Integral Care is in the process of a national search for the agency’s next CEO. Learn more about the role, hiring process, and more here.
What's New
September Together We Will Heal Forum
Join us on September 20th at 1:30pm for this month’s Together We Will Heal Forum: “School to Prison Pipeline & Youth Re-entry.” The panelists will share their lived experience with this and the work they currently do to support the youth as well as provide resources.
RA1SE & CHR-P Present at Dell Medical School
Last month, Sanjhi Gandhi, RA1SE Program Manager and Hiram Cortes, Clinical High-Risk Psychosis Program (CHR-P) Program Manager, presented to fellows in the Pediatric Psychiatry Fellowship training program through Dell Medical School.
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.