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:
Annalee Gulley

Assistant Presiding Officer:
Tracy Spinner

Secretary:
Faith Colson

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)

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 Julie Wayman, MSSW,
Manager & Interagency Liaison-School Mental & Behavioral Health
TEA- Program Staff Liaison for the Task Force  
Parent Tracy King Parent  
Parent Faith Colson Parent Secretary
Parent Barbara Granger 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 Christina Shaw Pearland ISD  
Psychiatrist Elizabeth Newlin, MD UT Health Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences  
School Administrator Jodi Duron, Superintendent Elgin ISD  
School Administrator Steven Shiels, Director of Behavioral Health and Wellness Fort Bend ISD  
Other-District Administrator Jennifer Roberts, EdD, LPC-S, CSC, Director of Student Services, Assistant Professor in the Clinical Mental Health Dept, Adjunct Professor Lamar Consolidated ISD Assistant Professor for Liberty University Houston Baptist University
 
 
Mental Health Foundation Representative Shannon Hoffman, MSW, LCDC, Policy Specialist 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
Licensed Specialist in School Psychology Tammy Gendke, LSSP, Community Project Manager Region 3 ESC//Project AWARE  
Mental Health Provider Tracy Spinner, M. Ed., VP of Education and Strategic Initiatives Goodside Health Assistant Presiding Officer
Other Mental Health Representative Annalee Gulley, Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs Mental Health America of Greater Houston Presiding Officer
Other Mental Health Representative Linda Rodriguez, EdD, Senior 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  
Other Mental Health Representative Josette Saxton, Director of Mental Health Policy Texans Care for Children  
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  
Other Mental Health Representative Jamie Freeny, DrPH, MPH Director, Center for School Behavioral Health Mental Health America of Greater Houston  

 

Deliverables

Mental Health Task Force Report 2020

Contact Information

Julie Wayman
512-936-6403
julie.wayman@tea.texas.gov

Jocelyn Franke
Texas Comprehensive Center
jocelynfranke@westat.com