HB 906 Mental Health Task Force

Purpose

The 86th Texas Legislature charged TEA in HB 906 to develop a Mental Health Task Force to study and evaluate mental health services that are funded by the state and provided at a school district or open-enrollment charter school directly to a student, parent or family member or employee. The Task Force is also directed to study training provided to an educator and the impact of the mental health training and services. The Task Force will be supported by an institution of higher education to collect and analyze data. The Task Force will produce a report and make recommendations for the Texas Legislature. TEA is responsible to appoint the membership of the Task Force and support the work and goals of the Task Force, as outlined in the legislation and as may be identified by the Task Force.

Task Force Members

Officers

Presiding Officer:
Tracy Spinner

Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) to Supporting the Task Force

University of Texas At Austin, Institute for Excellence in Mental Health (Lead IHE)
Prairie View A&M University, Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention (Supporting IHE)
Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Sciences (Supporting IHE)
Texas State University, Texas School Safety Center

Lead IHE Researcher:

Molly Lopez, PhD,
Director and Research Associate Professor
University of Texas At Austin, Institute for Excellence in Mental Health

Supporting IHE Researchers:

Susan Frazier-Kouassi, PhD
Director, Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention
Prairie View A&M University, Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention

Camille Gibson, PhD
Executive Director, Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention
Prairie View A&M University, Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention

Eric Storch, PhD
Chair, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Sciences
Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Sciences

Statutory Membership Status
Membership Status	Name/Title	District/Agency/Organization	Statutory Role
Texas Education Agency Commissioner or designee	Dr. LaTrenda Watson, Director of Mental and Behavioral Health	TEA- Program Staff Liaison for the Task Force
Parent	Barbara Granger, BA/BS	Parent
Parent	Tracy King	Parent	Secretary
Parent	Leah Kelly	Parent
Licensed Professional Counselor	Bena Glassock, Coordinator of Assessment, Counseling & Health Services	Hereford ISD
Other- Licensed Professional Counselor	Heather Lambert, LPC	Clearhope Counseling Center
Other- Licensed Professional Counselor	Jenipher Janek, M.Ed., LPC, LSSP, Education Specialist III/Coordinator	Education Service Center Region 12
Licensed Clinical Social Worker	Francine (Fran) Duane, LCSW	Bryan ISD School Board Private Practice
Certified School Counselor	Tammie Mackeben, Director of School Counseling	Socorro ISD
Other-Certified School Counselor	Michelle Harris, MS, LPC, School Counselor	Crowley ISD
Psychiatrist	Elizabeth Newlin, MD	UT Health Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
School Administrator	Andy Ball, Superintendent	Clifton ISD
School Administrator	Steven Shiels, Director of Behavioral Health and Wellness	Fort Bend ISD
Other-Certified School Counselor	Christina Shaw, Ed.D, Student Support Counselor	Pearland ISD
Mental Health Foundation Representative		The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health
Employee of Institution of Higher Education	Molly Lopez, PhD, Director of the Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health	University of Texas-Austin	Lead IHE
Other-Employee of Institution of Higher Education	Natalie Fikac, Senior Administrative Program Coordinator, South Southwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center	University of Texas-Austin
Other-Employee of Institution of Higher Education	Stephanie Peterson, LPC, Training and Education Specialist	Texas State University Texas School Safety Center
Other-Employee of Institution of Higher Education	Susan Frazier-Kouassi, PhD, Director	Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention, Prairie View A&M University	Supporting IHE
Other-Employee of Institution of Higher Education	Camille Gibson, PhD, Executive Director	Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention, Prairie View A&M University	Supporting IHE
Other-Employee of Institution of Higher Education	Leslie Taylor, PhD, Assistant Professor in Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences	McGovern Medical School
Other-Employee of Institution of Higher Education	Eric Storch, PhD, Professor, Vice Chair, McIngvale Presidential Endowed Chair-Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Sciences	Baylor College of Medicine	Supporting IHE
Other - Texas Education Agency Representative	Tammy Gendke, MA, LSSP, Mental Health Program Coordinator	Texas Education Agency
Mental Health Provider	Tracy Spinner, M. Ed., VP of Education and Strategic Initiatives	Daybreak Health	Presiding Officer
Other Mental Health Representative	Jamie Freeney, Ph.D, MPH, Director of The Center for School Behavioral Health	Mental Health America of Greater Houston
Other Mental Health Representative	Rohanna Sykes, Assistant Director for School Behavioral Health	Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
Other Mental Health Representative	Rebecca Fowler, Public Policy Engagement & Strategist	Mental Health America of Greater Houston
Licensed Specialist in School Psychology	Phyllis Hamilton, LSSP, NCSP	Retired
Other Mental Health Representative	Greg Hansch, Executive Director	NAMI Texas
Other Mental Health Representative	Angelina Brown Hudson, Program Director	NAMI Greater Houston
Other Mental Health Representative	Lisa Descant, CEO	Communities In Schools of Houston
Other Mental Health Representative	Monica Rodriguez, Valley Wide Program Manager	Tropical Texas Behavioral Health
Other Mental Health Representative	Pam Wells, EdD, Executive Director	Region 4 ESC