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The breakdown: Travis County officials released a strategic plan May 19 aimed at strengthening mental health services for children and youth. Twenty-eight young people died by suicide in Austin last year.
The plan targets barriers that prevent families from accessing care, including high costs, provider shortages and lack of services in outlying areas, according to a summary document presented at Travis County Commissioners Court.
By the numbers: Integral Care, the local mental health authority, served 25,339 residents in 2025 and responded to 108,405 crisis calls.
The county invested $14.1 million in mental health services in fiscal year 2025-26.
What's next: Strategies include expanding school-based mental health services, utilizing mobile clinics, expanding telehealth and creating a roadmap to help families navigate the system.
Kids Living Well, a coalition of member organizations, will implement the plan through 2031.
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