Governor Greg Abbott said we need to address mental health issues in the wake of Uvalde, a month after diverting $211 million from the department that oversees mental health services in Texas to border security.
In April, Abbott diverted $211 million from the department that oversees the state’s mental health issues in order to allocate almost $500 million to Operation Lone Star, the state’s new border security program. According to Abbott’s own announcement, no other state agency saw more funds redirected toward Operation Lone Star than the Health and Human Services Commission, which contracts with 37 local mental health authorities across Texas. Meanwhile, Texas ranked last among 50 states in the 2021 State of Mental Health in America report.
“This bullshit you get from this guy about mental health and evil,” Gutierrez said. “The only evil that exists is when the leader of this state has a problem and is a problem of epic proportions.”
“He’s refused to expand Medicaid, which would bring $10 billion a year, including mental health care access for people who need it,” O’Rourke said outside the press conference after he was escorted out by security, according to ABC. “He’s refused to champion red-flag laws… He’s refused to support safe-storage laws so young people cannot get their hands on their parents’ weapons.”
https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dgn83/texas-school-shooting-abbott-mental-health