HILLSBORO, Texas (KXXV) — Rural areas can suffer the most when it comes to lack of mental health services — one clinical service director said the need for mental health services is crucial.
- Rural areas experience shortage in mental health services
- Hillsboro has no psychiatrist in town to have in-person meetings
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Mental health shortages in rural areas are impacting our neighbors in Hillsboro, as some have to drive to larger cities like Dallas and Austin to get help.
"With Hillsboro being such a rural area but being 30 minutes from Waco and an hour from Dallas, everyone thinks of they can just go there but there are a lot of people in this county that are impoverished," said Charli Busby, Clinical Service Director at Omnia Behavioral Health.
The lack of services is well documented in the state.
A written article last year by the Texas Tribune said more than 80% of Texas counties are designated mental health professional shortage areas.
That shortage is being felt in Hillsboro.
25 News decided to research mental health facilities in Hillsboro and found only four.
"We are in a mental health crisis, I know as you know DePaul closed, and so that left a huge gap. I tried to find a psychiatrist for one of my clients, and everyone was full, and that was through telehealth as well," Busby said.
The lack of services available to residents is noticed by mental health experts near and far.
"My day-to-day looks like an uphill battle working with different psychologists, psychiatrists and also having to be an advocate for my families, who don't receive the information or have the knowledge or who don't have the time or the funding," said Busby.
Busby said to get more mental health care services residents to vote, voting for the right people who can make those changes happen.
