Texas Mental Health Resources
Mental Health in Texas
The Lone Star state may rank #1 for wind, oil and gas production, but when it comes to mental health care, Texas is at the bottom of the pack.
50th
In both 2023 and 2024, Forbes ranked Texas as the worst state for mental health care.
20%
Of Texas adults are living with a mental illness
Over 60%
Of those do not receive treatment
The ranking is due in part to a high number of uninsured adults with mental illness and a low number of mental health treatment centers. The result? More than 60% of Texans who have a mental illness don’t receive treatment.
In addition to a lack of insurance Texans also face a shortage of mental health professionals. Texas is also home to fewer treatment centers than other states. Rural areas are hit particularly hard by this shortage, although new telehealth options may improve treatment access for Texans.
Meanwhile the need for treatment remains high, with the National Alliance on Mental Illness reporting roughly 20% of Texas adults are living with a mental illness.
Free Mental Health Resources in Texas
OSAR centers provide free substance use recovery services across all Texas regions. Residents can find support through services like outreach, screening, assessments, referrals to treatment programs, and confidential consultations led by trained professionals. Available 24/7, OSAR centers are an entry point for all individuals to access recovery services statewide.
Provide Services for
Depression
PTSD
Substance Abuse
"Turn To" is a platform operated by Texas Health and Human Services that offers online resources for people seeking mental health help. Adults, children, family members, and community organizations can contact crisis helplines (988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline), search for local mental health clinics, and find online toolkits in English and Spanish.
The Mental Health Program for Veterans provides peer-to-peer counseling through 37 local mental health authorities across Texas. Veterans and their families can access services to address military trauma, mental health issues, substance abuse, and crisis support. The National Veterans Crisis Line (988), online and text chats, and connections to VA benefits through the Texas Veterans Portal are available.
Provide Services for
Men
Women
Veterans
First Responders
The Texas Veterans Portal is a collection of resources for Texas veterans and military families. Services include crisis intervention, mental health support, substance use treatment, employment assistance, housing aid, education benefits, and specialized programs for women veterans and individuals with disabilities. Services are accessible through a centralized online platform.
Provide Services for
Men
Women
Veterans
Disability
First Responders
MHMR Tarrant assists adults and young adults seeking mental health and substance use support. Their programs, delivered at multiple outpatient facilities with low-cost or sliding scale fees, encompass medication management, case coordination, peer support, financial assistance, and crisis intervention. Their Community Center provides free social activities, computer training, and activities to combat isolation and build community integration.
Child Psychiatry Access Network (CPAN) provides access to mental health resources for families with children struggling with mental health issues. The state-funded program offers same-day psychiatrist consultations, condition-specific guidance for ADHD/anxiety/depression, personalized referrals based on insurance and location, and free CME training for Texas pediatric clinicians.
Provide Services for
Teens & Students
Men
Women
Disability
Depression
ADHD
PTSD
Anxiety
Grief
Texas HHS Adult Mental Health Housing is a state-funded program to make housing available for adults struggling with mental health across Texas. Adults with mental illness who are homeless or at risk of homelessness can access housing search assistance, independent living skills training, employment support, connections to healthcare, housing placement, rent subsidies, utility payments, and move-in costs.
Provide Services for
Men
Women
Seniors
Disability
The Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) program provides school-based telemedicine mental health services for Texas youth. Students can access virtual psychiatric assessments to identify or evaluate mental health needs, obtain brief interventions, and get referrals to connect students in need with licensed mental health professionals through secure video platforms.
Provide Services for
Teens & Students
LGBTQ
Disability
NAMI Texas is an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They facilitate mental health support groups, community advocacy, and resource referrals through 25 local affiliates in Texas. Their publications, newsletters, and educational programs aim to improve the lives of Texans affected by mental illness and reduce stigma.
Texas Mental Health Resources coordinates peer support groups, healthcare cost assistance programs, and advocacy training for institutions. The organization helps Texans in need struggling with mental illness access treatment options, equips local rehab centers and churches with supplies, offers resources for seniors and veterans, medication discounts, and facilitates community connections.
The Texas System of Care coordinates mental health services for children, youth, and families statewide through community-based networks. Residents can access affordable mental healthcare, wraparound planning, family-to-family peer support, and non-traditional home services via Medicaid waiver for those at risk of out-of-home placement.
UTSA Online TimelyCare provides enrolled UTSA students 24/7 access to a free mental health platform. Students can find immediate emotional support, schedule counseling, obtain psychiatry referrals, receive health coaching, get self-care resources, participate in moderated peer support, and seek basic needs assistance—all accessible via any web-enabled device.
Provide Services for
Teens & Students
LGBTQ
Men
Women
Texas HHSC Mental Health Crisis Services is a directory that provides 24/7 mental health support through crisis lines by county. Texans can access immediate face-to-face assessment, intervention, follow-up care, and relapse prevention for individuals experiencing mental health emergencies, with dedicated resources for veterans and non-English speakers.
2-1-1 Texas is a state-operated hotline connecting Texans to essential mental health services, employment help, housing assistance, and crisis intervention resources. This 24/7 helpline is a bridge to close social issues gaps, by helping individuals from all backgrounds access location-specific resources tailored to their individual challenges.
Hope Family Health Center's peer support Warmline (1-844-755-HOPE) provides free primary medical care, counseling, and behavioral health services to uninsured individuals in the Rio Grande Valley. Featuring experienced specialists, Texans can access preventative care, education, and wellness programs in a confidential and judgment-free environment.
Provide Services for
ADHD
Anxiety
Grief
Amplified Minds provides free mental health services and counseling for Texas residents with a primary focus on creatives and LGBTQ+ individuals. Specialized group therapy, substance recovery, LGBTQIA+ support, and art therapy workshops are available through virtual and in-person sessions led by licensed counselors and tailored to creative individuals and diverse communities.
Provide Services for
BIPOC
LGBTQ
Men
Women
The Telos Project is a Texas non-profit dedicated to providing affordable mental health care to Fort-worth area residents. They serve communities facing mental health barriers due to stigma or poverty, focusing on children, families, and elderly individuals. Through a sliding scale fee system, services like individual, family, and group therapy plus psychological and neurological assessments are available.
Provide Services for
Depression
ADHD
PTSD
Anxiety
Grief
Eating Disorders
Autism
Homeward Bound Inc. provides mental health services to north and west Texas residents. Medical detoxification (MAT), gender-separated residential treatment, outpatient counseling, and crisis housing programs are available in 25 Texas counties. Their evidence-based, no-to-low-cost behavioral health and harm reduction services address substance use disorders, and mental illness, and include specialized HIV+ support