Hill Country nonprofits have committed another $1 million to local organizations to tend to mental health challenges.
KERRVILLE, Texas — A new mental health assessment released Thursday predicts that thousands of Kerr County residents could face long-term psychological effects following the July 4 flood, resulting in a $1 million funding commitment to expand access to mental health services in the area.
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute released findings from a Rapid Mental Health Needs Assessment examining the flood’s lasting mental health impact. The report projects more than 6,000 new cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among adults and about 2,000 cases of “serious emotional disturbance” among children without expanded health care access.
According to the report, trauma-related symptoms often intensify months after a disaster and can persist for years without sustained support.
“This assessment helps communities move from anecdote to evidence,” Dr. Andy Keller, CEO of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, is quoted as saying in the release. “What the data show clearly is that the most serious mental health impacts of disasters often surface months later and can last for years.”
The analysis incorporated interviews with more than 70 local leaders from education, health care, emergency services, faith communities, nonprofits and local government, according to t a press release. That input was paired with quantitative data to project future mental health needs, showing adult PTSD symptoms typically peak about five months after disaster exposure, while emotional distress among children often intensifies around six months later.
Based on the findings, the Community Foundation identified four priority areas for future investment:
- Improving awareness and access to mental health services
- Expanding trauma- and grief-informed care
- Strengthening community access points such as schools and faith organizations
- Providing specialized support for those most affected, including bereaved families and frontline workers.
The foundation also announced a $1 million grant commitment to partner organizations, including Light on the Hill, Hunt Independent School District, and the Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Centers. The funding will support expanded school-based counseling, dedicated mental health navigation services, support for helping professionals and continued operation of a low-barrier emotional support drop-in center.
Additional investments include a mobile mental health app for Kerrville Police Department personnel and extended services at Hill Country MHDD’s Emotional Support Drop-In Center.
“Recovery is not only what we can see,” said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. “This assessment gives us clear evidence of what families are carrying long after the flood.”
People seeking help connecting to counseling, grief support or other mental health resources can contact the Lucine Center Navigation Line at 832-244-9502.