Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health

11/12/2025

Are you a parent of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder? Consider participating in this study, which is being conducted to identify differences in mental health symptoms among parents, with the goal of addressing the need for additional care for parents and caregivers of children aged 11 or younger diagnosed with ASD.

11/07/2025

NEW PODCAST EPISODE! 🎙

In this episode, we are joined by Jerri Clark, the Resource and Advocacy Manager at Treatment Advocacy Center. She highlights the essential role family care partners play when someone with a severe mental illness encounters the legal system. Clark dedicates her work to the memory of her son, Calvin, who died from su***de at 23 after a four-year struggle with a severe mental illness.

Listen here:

Podcast Episode · Reimagining Justice: Exploring Texas Innovations in Mental Health · 11/07/2025 · 37m

11/07/2025

Congratulations to JCMH Commissioner Hon. Renee Rodriguez-Betancourt on this achievement! We are proud to have you as a Commissioner. 👏

🎉Congratulations to 449th District Court Judge Renee Rodriguez-Betancourt for being named the 2025 Outstanding Child Advocate for the Rio Grande Valley!

Judge Rodriguez-Betancourt was honored during a ceremony in Houston by the nonprofit organization Children at Risk, a Texas-based organization committed to improving the quality of life for children through strategic research, public policy analysis, education, collaboration, and advocacy.

“I am truly honored and humbled to be named as this year’s Outstanding Child Advocate for the Rio Grande Valley,” said Judge Betancourt. “To be recognized by an organization dedicated to driving positive change for at-risk children is deeply meaningful. This award affirms my commitment and passion for ensuring that young people in the justice system are given a meaningful opportunity for rehabilitation and a second chance at success.”

Thank you for all the work you do and shinning a light on the great things happening in Hidalgo County!

11/05/2025

If you're a fan of the Reimagining Justice podcast, check out Beyond the Bar! Beyond the Bar is a podcast hosted by JCMH Commissioner Hon. Devon Anderson. Now the CEO & President of Justice Forward, Hon. Anderson is a former prosecutor, defense attorney, judge, and elected District Attorney of Harris County. On the podcast, she shares her experiences with alcoholism and how it intersected with her high-profile legal career. Now in recovery, she offers a unique perspective on addiction, accountability, and the importance of second chances. Hon. Anderson aims to encourage others in the criminal justice system to seek treatment and support for substance use disorders and mental health issues.

Listen to the podcast:

Devon Anderson, a former prosecutor, defense attorney, judge, and elected District Attorney of Harris County, shares her experiences with alcoholism and how it intersected with her high-profile legal career. Now in recovery, she offers a unique perspective on addiction, accountability, and the impor...

11/04/2025

Last week the JCMH team attended the annual NAMI Texas conference in Georgetown, TX. We heard from inspiring and impactful speakers and have been reinvigorated coming back into work this week!

11/03/2025

Congratulations to JCMH Commissioner Hon. Selena Solis on the success of El Paso County’s INSPIRE Mental Health Court.

INSPIRE recently celebrated the graduation of its very first participant! The court is a 12-month rehabilitation and prison diversion program takes in people with felony offenses and serious mental illness. It began in Fall 2023.

Read more about INSPIRE:

The El Paso County prison diversion program aims to keep people with mental illness from returning to the criminal justice system.

10/28/2025

JCMH Commissioners and Collaborative Council members had the opportunity to tour the Judge Ed Emmett Mental Health Jail Diversion Center in Houston earlier this month. Thank you to Wayne Young and The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD for hosting us!

Video: https://youtu.be/aQPhoTMy8_Y

10/27/2025

Relive the 2025 Judicial Summit on Mental Health with our new recap video, featuring remarks from our Supreme Court of Texas and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals leaders!

Music: bensound.comLicense code: D4DQ1ZKC7JX9IQIFArtist: : Lunar Years

10/24/2025

JCMH Director of Policy and Education K**a Harris spoke at the Texas Indigent Defense Commission's 2025 Workshop on Thursday.

K**a presented "Addressing Defendants with Mental Illness and Intellectual Disabilities" alongside Christina Sanders (North Hill Country Public Defender Office), Nikita Srivastava (Bexar County MAC Office), and Lori Gallo (Bexar County MAC Office).

10/22/2025

Thank you to the members of the 81st Judicial District Mental Health Court for attending the 2025 Summit, and to the Pleasanton Express for recognizing their commitment to improving the lives of those at the intersection of mental health and the justice system by highlighting the team in this article.

Hon. Jennifer Dillingham presides over the court; she was one of the judges in the 2025 cohort of the JCMH's Treatment Courts Collaborative. Thank you for your great work! 👏

Representatives from the 81st Judicial District Mental Health Court recently participated in the 2025 Texas Judicial Summit on Mental Health in Houston, joining judges, lawyers, and mental health professionals from

10/21/2025

Last week, the JCMH held a Youth SIM Mapping Workshop in Lubbock County. The workshop was championed by Judge Melissa Jo McNamara and Dr. Nancy Trevino of the Texas Tech Mental Health Initiative. Nearly 60 people attended the workshop!

The JCMH has three more SIM Mapping Workshops scheduled across the state in late 2025 and early 2026.

10/20/2025

After eight years of planning, Metrocare Services opened a new Dallas location. It is the first Metrocare facility that allows for all services the organization provides to be offered in one place. The campus was designed with a trauma-informed approach in mind.

Read more:

The new $96 million Hillside Campus is at 3242 Remond Dr. It features a mental health clinic offering comprehensive treatment for children, adults, families,...