TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION 
Help Offered to All Who Are in Need.
Ensuring access to competent
mental health services for service members, veterans, and their families.
The Veterans Mental Health Department (VMHD) accomplishes this task by providing training, certification, and technical assistance across Texas.
Across all programming, VMHD is fortunate to have the broadest definition of veteran regardless of discharge status, branch of services, or having served one day or a career.
What We Do
We work 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.
All services including training, technical assistance, and direct services provided across VMHD programming are offered freely to all who are in need.
How to Help
Veterans, Volunteers, Health Providers
The Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN) is made of TVC-Certified Peer Service Coordinators and their peer volunteers strategically placed within the local mental health authorities across Texas to create a statewide peer-to-peer network for any service member, veteran, or family member.
Register to join the MVPN and find your local chapter.
Our Programs
We act as the state-appointed advocate of Texas veterans. Our Programs are designed to provide training and support to service members, veterans, and their families, licensed mental health providers, other organizations and state agencies on the impacts of military-related trauma.
Military Veteran Peer Network
The Military Veteran Peer Network provides services including direct peer-to-peer support, training on suicide prevention and military cultural competency, coordination of mental health first aid, and warm-handoffs to local resources based on the individual needs of the veteran and family.
- A statewide network of military trauma-affected Veteran peer support.
- When you register for free, you can meet other Veterans, get help and support, and find resources.
Provider Network
We offer licensed clinicians and any mental health professionals training and technical assistance aimed at promoting military cultural competency.
- Our Provider Network training is tailored to the needs of the audience as it relates to suicide prevention, lethal means restriction, military traumas, and evidence-based practices.
Mental Health Provider Coordinator
Justice Involved Veterans
The Justice Involved Veteran (JIV) Program works to improve veteran services across the entire criminal justice continuum.
- The JIV Program partners with the local and state law enforcement to deliver officers relevant training such as trauma-affected veterans and crisis intervention strategies.
Community & Faith-Based Partners
Through the Faith & Allegiance Initiative, this program provides training and technical assistance for Community and Faith-based Organizations to develop and implement strategies to support the well-being of veterans and their families.
- The Faith & Allegiance Initiative encourages community and faith-based partners to bear true faith and allegiance by offering their hand in support.
Community & Faith-Based Coordinator
Veteran Homelessness
We lead the Texas Veterans Commission’s Homeless Veteran Initiative which aims to reduce veteran homelessness in both urban and rural settings across Texas.
- The Homeless Veteran Initiative provides listings of local, state and national services available.
Homeless Veterans Coordinator
Homeless Veterans Coordinator
Suicide Prevention
The Texas Suicide Prevention Initiative is the result of a collaborative effort throughout the state of Texas of community-based organizations, state and local agencies, academic institutions and many others who work together to reduce suicides in Texas.
- Suicide Prevention Coalition Partner listings and annual reports are available.
Suicide Prevention Coordinator
FAQs
Get answers to Frequently Asked Questions here. Contact us for more information if you can’t find what you’re looking for.
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.
What does the Veterans Mental Health Department do?
The Veterans Mental Health Department 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.
Find Help Now
To find and connect with a Peer Service Coordinator in your area click “Find Help Near You”.
