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Nov. 15, 2021 – HOUSTON - A person’s response to a traumatic event can vary. Depending on their history of past trauma, their direct exposure to the traumatic event and other factors, symptoms could carry on long after the event has passed.
In an effort to support Houstonians following the tragic events at AstroWorld Festival, The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD (The Harris Center) is offering counseling services to anyone impacted by these events – including friends and family members of those who have been impacted.
Those seeking support can call (713) 970-7000 or text (832) 479-2135 to speak with a trained mental health professional. These counselors can provide free, 24/7 support, or they can connect individuals to scheduled counseling services, provided virtually or in-person.
“Directly following the festival, the number one priority for attendees was to get to safety, connect with loved ones, and to take care of their physical health,” stated Wayne Young, M.B.A., LPC, Chief Executive Officer at The Harris Center. “Now, as attendees have had time to process these events and get the medical assistance they need, providing emotional support to those affected is key to the recovery process. This is especially true for those who were already living with a mental health condition, making them even more vulnerable.”
Common reactions amongst adults following a traumatic event include depression, difficulty sleeping and concentrating, substance abuse and becoming more irritable and numb. For children, they are more likely to feel frightened or confused, making it even more important for them to have support.
“It’s especially important for parents to be aware of how this may have an effect on your child,” said Luming Li, M.D., M.H.S., Chief Medical Officer of The Harris Center. “Having open dialogues, providing supportive reassurances, limiting news exposure, and acknowledging and validating their thoughts, feelings and reactions are all important steps to minimize the potential psychological impacts of a traumatic event.”
To learn more about The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, visit TheHarrisCenter.org.
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About The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD
The Harris Center is the state-designated Local Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Authority serving Harris County, Texas. As the largest behavioral health and developmental disability care center in the State of Texas, The Harris Center provides a full continuum of services to 88 sites across Harris County, serving approximately 80,000 individuals annually. Learn more at TheHarrisCenter.org.
As a response to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD (The Harris Center) is collaborating with Harris County to lead a new community wellness and resiliency program to support communities in Harris County, Texas. Healthy Minds, Healthy Communities, a locally led mental wellness and resiliency initiative, will focus on ten Harris County zip codes (i.e.,77093, 77504, 77022, 77076, 77090, 77060, 77033, 77091, 77038, 77450) that underutilize traditional mental health care and have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 as well other public health issues, such as suicide. The program aims to leverage natural and existing social support systems to create a community-led network of emotional supports and assistance.
HOUSTON, TX (June 23, 2021) – Following a competitive national search, The Harris Center is pleased to announce Luming Li, M.D., M.H.S. as the organization’s new Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Li will officially join the organization on Wednesday, September 1, 2021.
August 17, 2021 - Holmusk, a leading global data science and health technology company building the world’s largest Real-World Evidence (RWE) platform for behavioral health, has signed data license agreements with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD (The Harris Center) in Harris County, Texas.
The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD received $836,243 from the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) COVID-19 Telehealth Program to enhance its telehealth service infrastructure. The FCC received funding for this program through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act. The FCC funds will enable The Harris Center to further expand access to behavioral health and intellectual and developmental disabilities services for Harris County residents via telehealth platforms.
HOUSTON – Feb. 11, 2020 – The Board of Trustees of The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD approved today a significant step to move forward with the implementation of an Electronic Health Record system (EHR) that will bring improved health outcomes for those with serious mental illness in Harris County. The Harris Center is working with Harris Health System to implement a tailored to fit EHR to support the center’s complex health care operations.
HOUSTON, October 1, 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the vulnerability of individuals who are homeless and have mental illnesses. It is not only the unhealthy conditions on the streets that make the unsheltered homeless “at-risk” to COVID-19; most suffer from underlying, chronic health conditions. An estimated 15-25% of individuals experiencing homelessness throughout Harris County and the greater Houston area suffer from severe mental health issues making it difficult for city, county and local partners to quickly assist and house them out of harm’s way. Social distancing requirements have also reduced homeless shelter capacity. These extremely acute individuals have a large impact on first responders and hospitals by routinely requiring emergency intervention. These individuals increase the risk of COVID-19 exposure to first responders and the community
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The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD strives to provide high quality, efficient, and cost effective services so that persons with mental disabilities may live with dignity as fully functioning, participating, and contributing members of our community, regardless of their ability to pay based on a sliding scale rate schedule. Privacy Statement Contact Us