Agency News

The Right Talent, Right Now: The Harris Center and the H.E.A.R.T. Program Provide Summer Internships for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Every October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the many varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. This year’s theme is “The Right Talent, Right Now.” As part of this month’s activities, The Harris Center is highlighting our recent summer internship collaboration with the H.E.A.R.T. Program.

For many individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), finding jobs out in the “real world” may not always come easy. As part of The Harris Center’s commitment to transform the lives of people with IDD, the agency recently collaborated with the H.E.A.R.T. Program to provide summer internships to individuals with IDD to allow them the opportunity to gain hands-on work experience across our agency’s various programs.

 

 

Mayor Sylvester Turner highlights local efforts to prevent suicides among veterans, active military and family members

The City of Houston and local agencies are working closer together to increase suicide awareness and prevention support for those who have bravely served our country, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Thursday in conjunction with the start of National Suicide Prevention Month.

The effort is part of the Mayor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families. Houston is one of the initial seven U.S. cities to participate in the challenge, founded last year by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Coming Soon: CARF International

A survey team from CARF International* will be visiting on September 25 - 27, 2019. We invited the surveyors to evaluate how well we meet international standards for quality. The survey will tell us what we are doing well and ways we might improve. As a result of this survey, we may earn or continue accreditation.

As part of the survey, the surveyors will interview people who receive services, their families, our staff, and others. Some questions the survey team members might ask people are:

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

At The Harris Center we understand how crucial it is for everyone to care about mental health. Our team had a great time celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month and everything we do together to promote the importance of mental health in our community. How awesome it is to be part of this worthy cause!

Harris County Mental Health Jail Diversion Program

Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg and The Harris Center’s CEO Wayne Young met with law enforcement leaders from throughout Harris County earlier today to give an update on the success of the Harris County Mental Health Jail Diversion Program, which includes the Judge Ed Emmett Mental Health Diversion Center. This innovative program provides law enforcement with a community-based alternative for persons with mental illness who have been picked up for low-level, non-violent offenses such as trespass.