We 
Social Workers!
We had much to celebrate for World Social Work Day and National Professional Social Work Month with our team of talented and passionate staff and intern social workers. These dedicated folks engage daily to improve and transform lives for the vulnerable in Denton County.
KERA Visits UWDC for Listening Session on Mental Health
As part of a plan to expand reporting on mental health across their multiple media platforms, KERA News attended the regular bi-monthly meeting of the Denton County Behavioral Health Leadership Team (DCBHLT) for a Listening Session on Mental Health at our office in Denton.
After listening to the various workgroup reports of the DCBHLT, including Jail Diversion, Veterans, and Childhood and Family Systems, KERA moderated a discussion on the state of mental health services and resources in Denton County. The leadership team from KERA in attendance included their new mental health reporter, Syeda Hasan.
“One of the goals of the Denton County Behavioral Health Leadership Team is to increase visibility in the community,” said Sonia Redwine, our Director of Health and Mental Health Initiatives. “Providing KERA information on the current work of DCBHLT, as well as our community’s challenges in this space, will be helpful to reach that goal.”
Denton County Unites to Improve Mental Health Access for Vets
Long-running discussions with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase capacity for mental health services for Veterans in Denton County is finally coming to fruition thanks to a collaboration of businesses, nonprofits, community groups, government, and volunteers.
The Veterans Workgroup of the Denton County Behavioral Health Leadership Team (DCBHLT) in partnership with United Way of Denton County engaged with the VA three years ago to add additional psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists in Denton County to serve Veterans with PTS and other behavioral health issues. Currently, Denton County Veterans seeking mental health services locally receive treatment at the undersized Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Denton. Thus, most local Veterans travel to Dallas to receive care.
Several obstacles delayed the realization of a local treatment facility, the largest being available space. Bob Widmer of the Low-Income Tax Clinic (LITC) secured space in the building adjacent to his location and the Denton County Veterans Center at 400 S. Carroll and found donors to underwrite expenses for the next three years. Congressman Burgess stepped in with his support to expedite red tape at the VA last May during the chamber of commerce “DC Fly In” advocacy event by arranging for United Way of Denton County leadership to meet with VA representatives to push the project forward.
The VA required structural changes to the space, but restrictions on VA funding precluded use on renovations. The Denton County Veterans Coalition (DCVC) took the lead to accelerate opening of the space. Volunteers began ripping out carpet and removing walls in early March. Lowe’s Home Improvement donated all construction materials and Habitat for Humanity provided a team of skilled workers to erect new walls. Then, volunteers returned to paint those walls.
“This facility is a result of collaboration between the VA, DCVC, DCBHLT, UWDC, and LITC to increase our community’s ability to provide behavioral health care to our Veterans,” said Chris Martin, DCVC President. “It will prevent many Veterans from driving to the Dallas VA, a drive that can be difficult for a person with extreme PTS.”
Organizers are targeting late April for the project’s opening with a staff of eight to nine professionals and expect 10,000 or more visits per year to treat Veterans with PTS and military trauma.