Mental health is no longer a silent crisis—it’s an economic and social emergency affecting families across Texas. With one in five U.S. adults experiencing mental illness annually, communities like Fort Bend County are increasingly feeling the ripple effects.
From strained public services to lost productivity and increased incarceration rates, the consequences extend beyond individual suffering. At the forefront of the response in Fort Bend is Texana Center, a nonprofit and Local Mental Health Authority dedicated to ensuring that even the most vulnerable residents can access mental health support.
The Cost of Unmet Mental Health Needs in Texas
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), over 800,000 Texas adults went without needed mental health care last year. Nearly half of those cited cost as the primary barrier. In a state where 18.4% of the population remains uninsured, the economic burden of untreated mental illness is profound—not only for the individual but for the broader healthcare, education, and criminal justice systems.
Economic strain often creates a vicious cycle. “Financial burdens can trigger the development of mental disorders,” explains Dr. Forrestine Dickson Knowles, a psychiatrist with Texana Center. “The inability to afford medication or therapy can prevent patients from seeking or continuing treatment. Patients may even forgo necessary care to cover basic needs.”
The results are staggering: higher dropout rates, rising homelessness, and over-representation of individuals with mental illness in the criminal justice system. A tragic statistic underscores the urgency—someone in the U.S. dies by suicide every 11 minutes.
