TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION 
Contact VMHD
For general inquiries about the Veterans Mental Health Department, please submit the form below.
To find and connect with a Peer Service Coordinator in your area click “Find Your Chapter”.
Get Social
We are the state appointed advocate of Texas veterans and assist them in securing the benefits they earned while serving.
FAQs
Get answers to Frequently Asked Questions here. Contact us for more information if you can’t find what you’re looking for.
Veterans & Volunteers
What is the Veteran's Mental Health Department?
The Veterans Mental Health Department (VMHD) is a branch of the Texas Veterans Commission. The Veterans Mental Health Department is focused on ensuring access to competent mental health services for service members, veterans, and their families. We accomplish this task by providing training, certification, and technical assistance across Texas.
In addition to connecting veterans in need directly to local services, VMHD also works with partners at the national, state, and local level to address veteran-specific issues including suicide prevention/intervention, veteran homelessness, military cultural competency, peer support services, military-related trauma, women and rural veterans, and justice involvement.
Does the Veterans Mental Health Department provide direct counseling services to veterans?
The Veterans Mental Health Department does not provide direct counseling services to veterans but connects veterans to resources that assist them in receiving the services they need. These can include counseling referrals.
Is the Veterans Mental Health Department available to provide tailored training to organizations upon request?
Yes, the Veterans Mental Health Department is available to tailor specific training to an organization that serves veteran clients. Send us an email with your request, and we will get back to you to provide the training that meets your organization’s needs.
What is the cost of a Veterans Mental Health training cost?
What is the Justice Involved Veterans program?
The Justice Involved Veteran (JIV) Program is housed within TVC’s Veterans Mental
Health Department and its aim is to improve veteran services across the criminal
justice continuum. JIV Managers serve as a resource to provide technical assistance
and training to all Veteran Treatment Courts across Texas, partner with the local and
state law enforcement to deliver the officers relevant trainings such as trauma-affected
veterans and crisis intervention strategies. JIV Managers also collaborate with the local
jail and state prison systems to better ensure that incarcerated veterans have access to
veteran-specific services and programming.
Who is considered "Justice Involved"?
What trainings are offered by the JIV Program?
The JIV Program offers FREE trainings to Veteran Treatment Courts, Law Enforcement,
Community Supervision, Mental Health Providers, and Community Stakeholders.
Trainings include:
- Suicide Awareness & Prevention (CALM & AS+K)
- Military Cultural Competency
- Military-Informed Care
- Mental Health First Aid
- TCOLE 4067 Trauma-Affected Veterans*
- TCOLE 1850 De-escalation Techniques*
*Denotes Law Enforcement ONLY Trainings
How do we get more Justice Involved information?
You can reach out to the JIV Program directly at:
- Terri Williams, M.A., LPC, Terri.Williams@tvc.texas.gov, Cell: (737) 237-4080
- Cynthia Gray, Cynthia.Gray@tvc.texas.gov, Cell: (512) 815-7906
What is considered “homeless”?
An individual that has a primary nighttime residence that is public or private not meant for human habitation, a shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (to include transitional housing and hotels paid by a charitable organization), or is exiting an institution where they resided for 90 days or less and resided in one of the previous two living arrangements immediately before entering that institution.
What types of veteran status can the Homeless Initiative assist?
Any individual that has served in the U.S. military regardless of time in service and discharge status.
Do you know a homeless veteran, what can you do to help?
Any individual to include Family and loved ones can reach out on behalf of the veteran to help facilitate available local resources.