DSHS Substance Abuse Services

Mental Health and Substance Abuse News

This new resource will help you keep abreast of developments in the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division. Visit the MHSA News page to learn more about the headlines listed below:

• Grants Awarded for Jail Diversion and Suicide Prevention
• Applications Sought for Integration of Health and Behavioral Health Services Workgroup
• 2010 Texas Behavioral Health Institute Call for Papers and Presentations

Substance Abuse Trends in Texas: June 2009

This report updates indicators of drug abuse in Texas since the June 2008 report and describes trends by calendar year from 1987 through 2008. Read the report (PDF) • June 2008 Report (PDF) • June 2007 report

Memo on DSHS Substance Abuse Request for Proposals (RFP) for Treatment and Outreach, Screening, Assessment, and Referral Providers (PDF)

October 27, 2008 – The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has determined that it is in the public interest to offer new substance abuse contracts to providers currently providing treatment and OSAR (outreach, screening, assessment, and referral) services for Fiscal Year 2010. Read more » (PDF)

Behavioral Health Prevention Services Awards Announced

Final awards have been posted for RFP #SA-PREV-242-1- Behavioral Health Prevention Services. View the awards »

Substance Abuse Youth Prevention Programs, Fiscal Year 2007

9/18: Please note that revisions to this report are pending and will be posted soon. The purpose of this report is to present information about the substance abuse youth prevention programs funded by DSHS. The information presented in this report was collected from agency records and data from the prevention outcome monitoring system. Read the report (MS Word)

Featured Resources

Current Initiatives

• Drug Demand Reduction Advisory Committee
  The 77th Texas Legislature established the Drug Demand Reduction Advisory Committee (DDRAC) with a mandate to develop comprehensive statewide strategy and legislative recommendations that will reduce drug demand in Texas. The Statute mandates that 16 state agencies participate in this effort, as well as five at-large members from different geographical areas within the state. Learn more »

• Working Well: Can Disability be Prevented?
  Working Well, the Texas Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment (DMIE) is a ground-breaking study designed to help keep people well and working. Working Well tests whether providing health coverage and employment supports will keep working people with mental and physical disabilities off federal benefits, such as Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Learn more »

• Texas Recovery Initiative
  The Mental Health and Substance Abuse division of the Department of State Health Services is pleased to introduce our latest collaborative effort, The Texas Recovery Initiative, (TRI). We will be joining with our partners including the treatment and recovery communities to discuss our adult services for persons seeking to find and continue their recovery. Learn more »

• Texas Mental Health and Substance Abuse Crisis Services Redesign
  The 80th Legislature appropriated $82 million for the FY 08-09 biennium. Guided by the Legislature and in response to Rider 69, these funds will allow the state to make significant progress toward improving the response to mental health and substance abuse crises. The first phase of implementation will focus on ensuring statewide access to competent rapid response services, avoidance of hospitalization and reduction in the need for transportation.

• Clinical Management for Behavioral Health Services (CMBHS)
  The purpose of this project is to develop an integrated clinical management system for behavioral health care (mental health and substance abuse) services at DSHS. Our focus is to respond to the needs of the behavioral health community in providing a holistic approach to mental health and substance abuse services.

Current Reports and Publications

• Regional reports based on 2006 Texas School Survey of Substance Use Among Students Grades 4-6 and Grades 7-12 are now available. Published November 2007.

• 2005 Texas Survey of Substance Use Among College Students (PDF, 219 KB)
  This report presents main findings of the 2005 survey of substance use and related behaviors among college and university students in Texas. Alcohol is the most often used substance on college campuses, and it is the substance most associated with problems. Published April 2007.

• Behavioral Health NEWS BRIEF
  Informing policy and practice in mental health and substance abuse services through data.

• Texas School Survey of Substance Use Among Students
  Adolescent Substance Use in Texas (PDF, 53 K)
  The data presented in this article are based on self-reports of secondary school students sampled in the 2006 Texas School Survey of Substance Use. Alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana were the most widely used substances by young people in Texas. About 48% of adolescents used either alcohol, tobacco, inhalants, or illicit drugs during the past school year. Previous Texas School Survey information may be found on our reports page.

This page was last modified October 01, 2009