Texas Veterans + Family Alliance

The Challenge

For many veterans in Texas and elsewhere, the transition back to civilian life can be difficult. Even veterans many years removed from active duty can encounter a unique and specific set of challenges when engaging and accessing mental health care. In many cases, care for these veterans was proving to be more difficult to find and obtain than it should be. Local efforts, in the best position to help, were often underfunded and uncoordinated.

Our Approach

In 2015, the Meadows Institute worked with Sen. Jane Nelson and other lawmakers in the development and passage of Senate Bill 55, which created a new and innovative grant program, Texas Veterans + Family Alliance (TV+FA), within the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). The purpose of this program was to support community mental health programs that provide services and treatment to veterans and their families.

The TV+FA grant program awards state funds to matching funds secured by existing or developing collaboratives that are dedicated to addressing issues like veteran post-traumatic stress, depression, or suicide.

The bill also directed HHSC to work with an administrator to assist, support, and advise on TV+FA and to help secure local, private, and in-kind funds to match the $20 million initially appropriated by the Texas Legislature, and the Meadows Institute was chosen as the no-cost administrator for the program’s first two years.

In subsequent legislative sessions, the TV+FA program has not only been reauthorized with full funding, but improved by removing the third-party administrator rule and reducing the matching fund requirements for rural regions.

Outcomes

The Meadows Institute continues to work with communities to help them develop and secure TV+FA grants to improve the lives of veterans and their families across our state.