Hill Country flood recovery draws $6.2M investment to expand mental health care network

Hill Country flood recovery draws $6.2M investment to expand mental health care network by Jessica Warner Mon, November 9, 2026 at 2:32 PM 13 VIEW ALL PHOTOS As Texas Hill Country communities continue recovering from the 2025 and 2026 floods, the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country says it has invested more than $6.2 million to expand mental health care, including school-based counseling, grief support and trauma-informed services. (SBG San Antonio) Comment on this story 0 Comment Share story Share KERRVILLE, Texas - As Texas Hill Country communities continue recovering from the 2025 and 2026 floods, the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country says it has invested more than $6.2 million to expand mental health care, including school-based counseling, grief support and trauma-informed services. The foundation shared an update during a media briefing at Kerrville ISD, describing long-term recovery work that followed the July 2025 floods and continued after flooding struck many of the same communities again in July 2026. The foundation said the mental health support network already in place helped serve newly affected residents while continuing to support those still recovering from the previous year. During the briefing, the foundation pointed to progress since January, when it joined the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute and the H. E. Butt Foundation to present findings from a mental health needs assessment following the July 2025 floods. The assessment identified gaps in local mental health services and emphasized the need for sustained investments, stronger partnerships and expanded access to care as emotional impacts continue to emerge over time. “The floods forever changed the lives of families across the Texas Hill Country, and recovery will take years,” Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, said. “In January, we shared research showing just how profound the mental health consequences of these floods could be. Today, we can show what our community has built in response. With more than $6.2 million invested across 13 partners, we're expanding counseling, supporting our schools and making specialized grief care available to families who need it. This work will continue for years because the needs will continue for years.” The foundation said 13 community partners are involved in the effort, strengthening school-based counseling, grief support and trauma care. Among the investments highlighted: School-based mental health care: Kerrville ISD’s Resilience, Empathy, Assistance, Care and Hope initiative, known as REACH, is supported by a $770,700 grant to expand confidential counseling for employees, specialized support for students experiencing trauma and campus wellness resources over three years. The foundation said additional investments support mental health services in Hunt ISD and Ingram ISD. “Students and employees spend so much of their lives at school, and we've seen firsthand how the floods have affected them,” Dr. Brent Ringo, superintendent of Kerrville ISD, said. “Some are still dealing with grief and uncertainty while trying to keep up with the demands of everyday life. Our schools can provide a sense of stability during recovery, and having mental health resources available here helps students and staff get support from people they already know and trust.” “REACH gives us more ways to respond when a student or employee needs help,” Dr. Sonerka Mouton, assistant superintendent of curriculum at Kerrville ISD, said. “We're expanding confidential counseling for staff, connecting students experiencing trauma with specialized care and strengthening wellness resources across our campuses. The goal is to make these services easier to access now while building a system our school community can rely on over time.” Expanded counseling access: With $360,000 in foundation support, New Hope Counseling has expanded its clinical team to nine professionals, brought services to Hunt and reduced initial appointment wait times from weeks or months to one to three days. The foundation said counseling is available at no cost to residents directly or indirectly affected by the floods. “When someone is ready to ask for help, we want to make sure they can get it without a long wait,” Brenda Fudge, executive director of New Hope Counseling Services, said. “We've grown our clinical team, expanded services into Hunt and shortened the time it takes to get an initial appointment to just one to three days. We're also removing financial barriers so families affected by the floods can focus on getting the support they need.” Specialized grief support: The foundation said a $340,000 investment in the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas supports multiyear therapy for children and families whose needs may change as they process loss. “Children experience grief differently as they grow, and the support they need can change along the way,” Kristina Hernandez, CEO of the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas, said. “For families affected by the floods, having access to specialized care over time is incredibly important. Our goal is to help children and their families navigate those changes together, knowing they have somewhere to turn when they need support.” Beyond individual programs, the foundation said its partners are coordinating to help residents access care through mental health resource navigation, trauma- and grief-informed training, community-based assistance and confidential support for first responders. Services are available through schools, counseling centers, faith communities and other local organizations. More information, including a full list of grantees and available resources, is posted at rebuildkerr.org. Trending Family of five killed after SUV leaves wet IH-10 overpass in Seguin, parents identified Rain-slicked IH-10 in Seguin turned deadly when a Chevrolet Tahoe left an overpass near FM 725, killing a Porter family of five, including three children. FM 725 was shut for hours as police investigate. 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