Mental Health

$27 Million in ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF)

A person's brain function

NOTE: This program is in Phase II of the City's two-phased strategy.

On February 3, 2022, the City Council allocated $26 Million for Mental Health. This allocation provides access to care for the following categories:

  • Youth
  • Seniors
  • Homeless
  • Collaboration
  • Foster & At-Risk Youth
  • Harm Reduction
  • Caregiver
  • Domestic Violence

Partnerships with non-profit organizations are created through a competitive process.

City Council designated the Public Safety Committee (PSC) to oversee the implementation planning. The implementation plan was approved by the PSC on August 16, 2022, and the City Council on September 1, 2022. In June and July 2022, a series of community and stakeholder feedback sessions were hosted by the City.

There were seven meetings in total:

  • Two sessions with faith leaders
  • Two public input sessions
  • Two sessions with mental health providers
  • One session with representatives from area school districts

Spending Framework

The spending plan provides services to victims of domestic violence. This includes harm reduction services, navigation, and legal services. It also addresses:

  • Increased social isolation, anxiety, depression, and suicide in school age youth
  • Increased social isolation, anxiety, and depression for older adults
  • Increased homeless population with mental health and substance abuse issues
  • Youth aging out of the foster care system

Original Implementation Plan(PDF, 250KB)

The following table summarizes the implementation plan for Mental Health and reflects adjustments to address COVID-19 impacts, for a total investment in this area of $27.2 million.

Youth

COVID-19 Impacts Strategy / Program Goal Equitable Outcomes Amount
Addresses the increased social isolation, anxiety, depression, and suicide in school-age youth. Expand access to mental health services for children and youth Increased access to mental health care for school-aged children and youth ages 12-19 $12.75 Million
Expand Project Worth Teen ambassadors; Expand Stand Up SA Improved positive social/emotional skills and behavior among SA youth 7th-12th grade $750,000
Provide diagnostic services and individual service family plan development for families of children experiencing developmental disorders in coordination with school districts Increased access for children diagnosed with developmental disorders and coordination with schools $1.5 Million

Older Adults

COVID-19 Impacts Strategy / Program Goal Equitable Outcomes Amount
Addresses the increased social isolation, anxiety, and depression in older adults.
Expand navigation programs to connect older adults to mental health resources and referrals Older adults will have increased awareness of existing programs and access to services for individuals experiencing mental health challenges $500,000
Social interaction activities/ programs at senior & community sites and citywide. Expand service hours at City’s Comprehensive Senior Centers Improved quality of life for older adults by mitigating social/ emotional issues and isolation $4.2 Million

Homeless

COVID-19 Impacts Strategy / Program Goal Equitable Outcomes Amount
Addresses the increased homeless population with mental health and substance abuse services. Outreach teams connect chronic and unsheltered veteran homeless population to available mental health, substance use, and housing resources Improved access to mental health, substance use, and housing resources for those experiencing homelessness $2.15 Million
Outreach and Services available to Youth aging out of foster care system Increased access to services for youth aging out of the foster care system $410,000

Collaboration

COVID-19 Impacts Strategy / Program Goal Equitable Outcomes Total
Addresses behavioral health problems in Bexar County where COVID-19 has exacerbated existing conditions. Collaborate with community partners to establish a framework to serve and align upstream systems and organizations Improves coordination of services to improve access to community In-Kind Metro Health Staff
Collaborate with community partners to recommend/ Identify a central phone number to respond to pre-crisis calls from individuals needing support and navigation In-Kind Metro Health Staff

Foster & At-Risk Youth

COVID-19 Impacts Strategy / Program Goal Equitable Outcomes Total
Addresses the increased mental health needs of youth aging out of foster care and at-risk youth. Expand access to mental health and wrap around services for at-risk youth and youth in or aging out of the foster care system Increased access to mental health care and wrap around services for at-risk youth and youth who are in or aging out of the foster care system $3 Million

Harm Reduction

COVID-19 Impacts Strategy / Program Goal Equitable Outcomes Total
Addresses increased substance use and overdoses. Connect individuals with substance use concerns to medication and treatment services to improve their well-being, decrease the risk of death, and increase the availability of bystander trainings Increased access to medication and substance use treatments to improve well-being and decrease the risk of death $638,192

Caregiver

COVID-19 Impacts Strategy / Program Goal Equitable Outcomes Total
Addresses increased responsibility on informal and unpaid caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Connect caregivers to available resources, education, and training Mitigate increased social and emotional issues exacerbated by COVID – 19 for caregivers to improve the safety and quality of care provided to older adults $300,000
Improve caregiver access to specialized training and resources for older adults with dementia and other cognitive issues
Fund respite resources for caregivers

Domestic Violence

COVID-19 Impacts Strategy / Program Goal Equitable Outcomes Total
Family Violence Prevention. Address the increased 911 calls for family violence. Expand access and resources to ensure security and stable housing for individuals and families fleeing violence and abuse Increased access to essential needs, shelter, food, etc., and housing resources for families $1 Million
Expand access to legal and victim advocate services for families Increased access to legal services supporting families
Provide crisis intervention/case management and individual family plan development for families experiencing crisis Improved positive social/emotional skills and behaviors for individuals and families to strengthen social support

Request for Proposals (RFPs)

RFP # 1 Timeline

  • Sept. 6 and 8, 2022: Six Council Districts Information Sessions.
  • Sept. 9, 2022: RFP opened.
  • Sept. 16: RFP Pre-submittal conference.
  • Sept. 27 and 30, 2022: Training and technical assistance workshops.
  • Oct. 28, 2022: RFP closed.
  • Nov. - Dec. 2022: RFP evaluation and scoring.
  • Jan. 26, 2023: Post solicitation briefing to City Council.
  • Feb. 2, 2023: City Council approval.
  • March 2023: Two-year contracts began.

RFP # 2 Timeline

  • March 13, 2023: RFP opened.
  • March 23, 2023: RFP pre-submittal conference.
  • March 28, 2023: Training and technical sessions.
  • April 27, 2023: RFP closed.
  • May 5 - May 10, 2023: RFP evaluation and scoring.
  • June 2023: Post-Solicitation approval by City Council.
  • August 2023: Two-year contracts began.

Public Safety Committee

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Past Presentations

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