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Tri‑County Behavioral Health Care presents funding pressures; commissioners approve county service agreement
Summary
Tri‑County Behavioral Health Care’s executive director told commissioners that community mental‑health funding has fallen while demand has risen; Commissioners Court approved a public‑service agreement to continue local services.
Evan Robertson, executive director of Tri‑County Behavioral Health Care, briefed the Liberty County Commissioners Court on Sept. 23 about the agency’s services, funding pressures and a proposed public‑service agreement. Commissioners subsequently voted to approve a county agreement to continue Tri‑County’s services in Liberty County.
Robertson said Tri‑County is a unit of local government established under Chapter 534 of the Texas Health and Safety Code and serves Montgomery, Liberty and Walker counties. He described a funding environment in which state investments have prioritized state hospitals while community‑level funding has been inconsistent; he said the center’s budget has fallen about 20% in the last two years as targeted and federal ARPA funds have dried up.
Robertson described Tri‑County’s role as providing community‑based alternatives to state hospitalization and said the agency’s current annual budget is near $39 million. He said required local match for the center’s main performance contracts is about $1.9 million. Robertson thanked Liberty County for a $100,000 yearly contribution the county has provided since fiscal 2022 and noted that the agency opened a new 36,000‑square‑foot facility in Cleveland on Sept. 15 to expand capacity.
Commissioners moved to approve a public‑service agreement between Liberty County and Tri‑County Behavioral Health Care for the provision of mental‑health services; the motion was made by Bruce, seconded by David, and passed on a voice vote recorded as aye.
Robertson urged continued collaboration and noted that leveraging modest local support can help Tri‑County obtain additional grant matches. The court recorded approval of the agreement; no additional county appropriation was listed on the record during the item.
