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Harris County marks May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month and outlines outreach resources
Summary
The Commissioners Court designated May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month, heard from providers and advocates about local needs and crisis services, and discussed county outreach and 988 crisis-line capacity.
Harris County Commissioners Court on May 8 adopted a resolution designating May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month and heard public testimony from service providers, county behavioral health leadership and family members about local needs and crisis-response capacity.
Judge Lina Hidalgo opened remarks on county programming tied to the awareness month and announced a county-hosted panel, “Beyond the Stigma,” scheduled for May 14 that will be livestreamed on county social channels. Director Daniel Ramos, who described the item as “deeply personal,” urged empathy and early intervention: “Be patient, be empathetic because we are really dealing with life or death,” he told the court while describing his sister’s death and the isolation she felt.
Renee Tomczak, chief executive officer of Mental Health America of Greater Houston, called attention to mental-health impacts on workplaces and urged employers to prioritize stress management and anonymous screening resources. “We know that every dollar invested in mental health yields $4 in return,” she said, citing national economic estimates while urging workplace culture changes to reduce stigma.
Wayne Young of The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD reported local service volumes and crisis-line activity: “Last year, the Harris Center provided more than 2,000,000 services to over 90,000 people with serious mental illness. We also answered more than 170,000 crisis calls through 988 and our local crisis line,” he said, noting the center’s role as one of Texas’s 988 operators.
Court action: the May 2025 designation was taken up as a resolution and approved as part of the court’s consent actions later in the meeting. The item included no new direct funding commitments; speakers and commissioners discussed ongoing programmatic work, including the county’s partnerships and outreach plans.
County staff and community partners reiterated that access remains uneven. The Harris Center’s leadership told court members that walk-in access and low-cost or no-cost services are available for people without insurance, and The Harris Center described diversion and jail-avoidance programs that have redirected thousands of people to care.
Ending: Commissioners encouraged county employees and residents to participate in the May 14 online conversation and to use 988 and local crisis resources for immediate help.
