Hogg Foundation for Mental Health

Hogg Foundation Grants More Than $700,000 to Advance Integrated Health Care in Texas

September 13, 2012

AUSTIN, Texas — The Hogg Foundation at The University of Texas at Austin has issued 11 awards, totaling $720,950 to support the planning and implementation of integrated behavioral and physical health care programs.

Physical and behavioral health conditions often occur at the same time. Yet, they typically are treated separately by different health care providers with unconnected medical records in different locations.

Integrated health care is the systematic coordination of physical and behavioral health services. It may involve coordinating behavioral health care services with other services provided in a primary care setting, or coordinating physical health care services with other services provided in a behavioral health setting.

Research and experience shows that integrating, or systematically coordinating, physical and behavioral health care to treat the whole person can improve health. The initiative seeks to increase the number of nonprofit behavioral health and primary care providers delivering integrated health care with the goal of making integrated care standard practice in Texas.

“A growing body of evidence points toward the value of integrated care as a tool to improve the overall health of our bodies and our minds. By treating the whole body, we can advance the quality of care received in Texas,” said Dr. Octavio N. Martinez, Jr., executive director of the foundation.

Five organizations in the early stages of adopting an integrated health care program received up to $25,000 each to support their planning process. After one year, these grantees will be eligible for a second year upon successful completion of the one-year planning activities.

Six organizations that have completed the planning phase were awarded up to $100,000 each over a two-year period to implement their integrated health care plan. One organization, Project Vida, will receive both types of grants.

The planning grant recipients are:

-          Centro San Vicente, El Paso
-          Harris County Protective Services, Houston
-          Mercy Ministries of Laredo, Laredo
-          Project Vida, El Paso
-          The Seton Fund, Austin

The implementation grant recipients are:

-          Community Health Centers of South Central Texas Inc., Gonzales
-          Lone Star Circle of Care, Georgetown
-          Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic, Dallas
-          Nuestra Clínica del Valle, San Juan
-          Project Vida, El Paso
-          The Center for Health Care Services, San Antonio

Alongside planning and implementation grants, the Hogg Foundation has worked to promote integrated health care among mental health service providers, public and private stakeholders, and policymakers through grant making, partnerships and educational events.

The Hogg Foundation advances recovery and wellness in Texas by supporting mental health services, policy analysis, research and public education. The foundation was created in 1940 by the children of former Texas Gov. James S. Hogg and is part of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at The University of Texas at Austin.