SEN. KOLKHORST CUTS RIBBON FOR CHILD MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY
State Senator Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) celebrated the opening last week of a new state facility meant to address mental health for children.
the Texas Department of Health and Human Services and
the Department of Family and Protective Services for a
ribbon cutting to celebrate the new Terrell Youth Center.
(courtesy Office of Lois Kolkhorst)
Kolkhorst, along with other state legislators and representatives from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), cut the ribbon on Thursday for the newly created Terrell Center for Youth located in Terrell, near Dallas.
The specialized residential youth treatment facility is designed to serve adolescents with complex mental health, substance use or developmental disability needs who have been placed under the care of Child Protective Services but are the most complex cases that other facilities and homes are unable or unwilling to serve. Operated by the Health and Human Services Commission, it will serve up to 30 youth ages 13 to 17 years old who are under DFPS conservatorship.
The center was created by House Bill 109 in the last legislative session, authored by State Representative Toni Rose (D-Dallas) and sponsored by Kolkhorst in the Senate. Funding for the over $35 million project was secured by Kolkhorst in the General Appropriations Act.
Per a release from Kolkhorst’s Office, the state has struggled to find suitable placements for foster children with increasingly acute mental and behavioral health needs, saying the number of children without placement hit a record high of 417 in July 2021. Kolkhorst stated through bipartisan efforts such as this, there were zero children without a placement as of the end of this July, adding, “All of Texas wins when we restore these youth and give them hope for tomorrow and the rest of their lives.”