Texas leaders announce $105.5 million for school safety, mental health initiatives

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX) — Texas leaders on Tuesday announced additional financial support for safety and mental health initiatives in the state.

Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Speaker Dade Phelan, Senate Finance Committee Chair Joan Huffman and House Appropriations Chair Dr. Greg Bonnen unveiled the transfer of $105.5 million to support the initiatives through August 31, 2023.

The lawmakers said the additional funding will boost actions the state has already taken to make schools safer and support the mental health of children, teachers and families following the tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.

$100.5 million will be transferred to state agencies and programs to enhance school safety and mental health services in Uvalde and throughout Texas. The funding will provide:

• $50 million for bullet-resistant shields
• $5.8 million to expand the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine statewide
• $4.7 million to the Health and Human Services Commission to increase Multisystemic Therapy across the state
• $950,000 to HHSC to expand Coordinated Specialty Care teams across the state
• $7 million for rapid response training by the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center and $3 million for local law enforcement agencies to offset travel expenditures associated with the training
• $7 million to the Texas School Safety Center for on-site campus assessments to evaluate access control measures
• $17.1 million for school districts to purchase silent panic alert technology
• $5 million to the Texas Department of Public Safety to expand fusion center research and capabilities

The state also approved up to $5 million to be used by the Hill Country Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities Center to assist in evaluating mental health services in the Uvalde community and preparing a needs assessment for the legislature.

"The State of Texas is acting swiftly to ensure our schools are secure and that children, teachers, and families across Texas have the support and resources they need to be safe as we work to prevent future tragedies like the heinous crime committed in Uvalde," Abbott said. "Our communities – urban and rural – are stronger when Texans are safe and healthy, and I thank my partners in the legislature for quickly addressing the need to expand critical mental health and school safety initiatives in the Lone Star State."