EBD Blog

At a conference hosted by the Houston Area Urban League, speakers described the tremendous need for mental health services, especially among children and youths. Lois Moore, of the University of Texas Harris County Psychiatric Center, told the meeting that among children in the Harris County (TX) area, there are about 186,000 who have mental health problems including 108,000 with serious emotional disturbance.

For contrast, consider this: In 2002 the state of Texas reported that it had 35,323 6- to 21-year olds identfied as having SED.

Hooray for these leaders who dare to stand up and tell the truth about children’s need.

The mental health care crisis faced by black Houston-area residents “seems to be even more acute” than in four other large cities, a leader of the National Urban League said Tuesday.

At the same time, Houston obviously has a “greater level of expertise and a very scholarly expertise” among black mental health professionals, said Sandra Goodridge, director of health and quality of life for the National Urban League.

Link to Anne Marie Kilday’s story from the Houston Chronicle.