Public officials in every major city in America are dealing with responsibilities related to mental health issues of a portion of its citizens. County leaders in heavily populated regions are also dealing with the same problems. Their issues and challenges related to mental health and substance abuse impact public safety, homelessness and healthcare resources. The costs are extremely high at a time when local officials are stretched for funding as well as the required resources. The dilemma has, however, forced some visionary thinking and innovative solutions. It has also prompted funding programs at the federal level of government.

The state of Tennessee was an early mover in finding ways to divert people in need of mental health and substance abuse treatment away from incarceration in jails. State officials invested instead in facilities such as the Davidson County Behavioral Care Center in Nashville. As these facilities showed remarkable success, the program was expanded. People arrested in Davidson County are now 17% less likely than the state average ever to be arrested again.

Mental health diversion centers such as these are becoming common throughout the country and the trend is gaining momentum quickly.

Texas officials in Travis County launched a new diversion pilot program in March, and plans are being developed to construct a larger, permanent facility to house the program eventually. In addition to the benefits that result when men and women are treated, cost reductions occur, public safety is enhanced, and taxpayer funds can be invested in other areas. Untreated mental health issues often lead individuals to cycle through jails repeatedly, with consistently negative results. In the initial two years of the Tennessee diversion program, costs associated with mental health and substance abuse were reduced by $10 million. A similar diversion program in Miami, Florida, reduced incarceration costs by $4 million in the first year alone. A cost reduction is laudatory, but it pales in comparison to the benefit of salvaging individuals and enhancing public safety for all citizens.

As puzzling as it sounds, it does not appear to be common knowledge that such initiatives are eligible immediately for funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Along with that good news, however, it is important to note that a funding deadline is looming. ARPA funds must be allocated to local governments by December 31, 2024, and spent by December 31, 2026.

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The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) invested $94.8 million in eight projects to improve water and wastewater systems, replace lead service lines and expand water treatment facilities.

The city of Fort Worth will receive $59 million to improve a wastewater treatment plant. Plans include replacing the plant’s existing clarifiers with three 190-foot clarifiers. These replacements will increase the rated capacity and help Fort Worth maintain the quality of water discharge. Construction will begin Feb. 28, 2025.

The TWDB allocated $11.6 million in financing and principal forgiveness to the city of Devine to plan, design and build a lead service line replacement project. The city will start with a geographic information system database cataloguing existing water services.

Plans include completing an inventory of lead service lines and replacing approximately 1,700 line connections between the water main and the right-of-way. The city will replace more than 2,000 additional lead service lines from the right-of-way to residences. Construction will begin May 1, 2025.

The city of Brady will receive $5.2 million to inventory its distribution system and replace approximately 400 service connections with lead or galvanized materials. Construction will begin July 1, 2025. 

The city will receive an additional $2.3 million to improve its water distribution system. Plans include replacing more than 11,000 feet of water lines, existing fire hydrants and isolation valves. The city will also develop an asset management plan. Construction will begin March 15, 2025.

The city of Cut and Shoot will use a $5.9 million loan to plan, design and build a water system improvement project. The city will drill a 600-gallon-per-minute well to help supply enough water for residences within the local service area. The project will also install a 250,000-gallon elevated storage tank to expand capacity for up to 1,700 connections. Construction will begin May 19, 2025.

Other recipients include:

• The city of Mission will spend $4.1 million to design a 60-million-gallon-per-day water treatment plant to prevent water shortages and supply clean water. Construction is expected to begin June 1, 2026. 
• The city of Blanco will use $3.9 million to replace more than 14,300 linear feet of water lines across three locations. Construction will begin May 2, 2025.
• The Greater Texoma Utility Authority will receive $2.9 million to replace booster pumps, install pressure tanks and replace water lines and meters throughout its water system. Construction will begin June 1, 2025.

(Photo courtesy of rivage on Unsplash.)

Tom Fordyce was appointed to the Texas Board of Criminal Justice on May 15, 2024. He will serve his term until Feb. 1, 2027.

Fordyce is the current chief of special projects for the Mighty Oaks Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping veterans recover from trauma and PTSD. He also serves as vice president of the Walker County Fair Association and is a former commissioner for the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. He is a former gubernatorial appointee on the Trinity River Authority and Texas Assistive and Rehabilitative Services Council.

The Texas Board of Criminal Justice confines, supervises, rehabilitates and reintegrates convicted felons. The Board is comprised of nine members who set rules and policies to guide the agency. In addition, board members serve as the Board of Trustees for the Windham School District. They oversee the district’s operations and superintendent hiring process.

The Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) Commission officially unveiled a $305 million replacement Austin State Hospital on May 15. The hospital was founded in 1861, making it the oldest psychiatric hospital operating in the state.

The Austin State Hospital project began in October 2019 with the goal of creating a modern facility providing state-of-the-art care for mental illness, behavioral wellness and other forms of brain health. Patients will receive tailored treatment to stabilize acute psychiatric illnesses, allowing them to return and seamlessly integrate back into their communities.

After a 2015 report highlighted poor site conditions, city officials determined that they needed to build a hospital designed to meet the needs of everyone walking through its doors.

The 381,687-square-foot facility is a non-maximum-security unit with 240 single-person rooms. The building layout ensures that everyone will have their own space providing both privacy and security. The architecture features larger, open spaces, plenty of natural lighting, common activity areas and outdoor courtyards.

The replacement hospital is Texas’ latest investment in healthcare infrastructure across the state. Leaders have allocated more than $2.5 billion to replace, renovate and rebuild state hospitals since 2017.

(Photo courtesy of the city of Austin.)

Linda McMahon has officially been appointed the first CEO of the Dallas Economic Development Corporation (DEDC). The organization’s board of directors unanimously approved McMahon during a May 7 meeting. She will officially begin her role July 1.

McMahon previously served as CEO and president of a real estate agency before accepting her role with the DEDC. As CEO, McMahon will oversee the organization’s work to support local business, promote sustainable economic development and enhance Dallas’ infrastructure. She brings more than four decades of experience to the role.

The city created the DEDC in January 2022 to keep Dallas competitive with other urban areas. The DEDC helps drive investment and economic opportunities to the city, support job creation and market Dallas’ competitive advantages.

Heather Hall

Chief Information Officer

Texas Workforce Commission

Public career highlights and education: With over 22 years of state service, I have held a variety of roles at several agencies, including Office of the Attorney General, Department of Human Services, Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and Health and Human Services Commission. I previously served as chief information officer (CIO) for DADS and was named CIO for Texas Workforce Commission in March 2019.

What I like best about my public service: Our agency has the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of Texans every day. Almost everything at our agency requires some type of technology to support it. Whether it’s working on a project issue, analyzing a contract challenge, troubleshooting a system challenge or helping build out a new project proposal – no two days are the same.

The best advice I ever received: Have fun, always assume the best in others and try to find the humor in everyday things. Often a good laugh can defuse a tense situation, build camaraderie and make us think about challenging situations in a more positive way.

People might be interested to know that: I love genealogy and researching my family tree. I am especially thrilled about the opportunities that artificial intelligence has to improve the research capabilities in genealogy. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) utilized AI to index the 1950 U.S. Census population schedules. When the index was released in April 2022, I was as one of thousands of volunteers that “checked the AI” to see if the transcriptions were accurate.

One thing I wish more people knew about the Texas Workforce Commission is: TWC administers such a wide variety of programs. Whether it’s helping someone find a new job, get an adaptive aid to be better at their job, request childcare assistance or get unemployment insurance when needed, the staff at TWC works so hard to serve Texans in so many ways. I especially wish everyone knew how hard the amazing IT team works to support all the technology that TWC uses to serve Texans.

The Dallas Love Field airport will use $13.6 million to build an aircraft rescue and firefighting facility (ARFF).

The existing ARFF is more than 60 years old and has outlived its useful life. Because reconfiguring and renovating the station would not satisfy the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) safety requirements, the airport will build a replacement station.

Plans include building the 36,000-square-foot ARFF at a separate location from the existing structure. The new location ensures emergency responders will be able to quickly reach and remediate emergencies per the FAA’s standards. The station will also provide shelter for equipment during weather events to prevent damage and extend their lifespan.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) provided the funds through the Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) program. The initiative offers support to airports to build runways, taxiways, safety, sustainability and other infrastructure-related projects. In the latest round of funding, USDOT awarded $148.3 million to 73 projects in 28 states and Guam.

The AIG program is exclusively funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The law will deliver $15 billion over five years through the AIG program. USDOT has awarded $9 billion in AIG funds since the program was established.

(Photo courtesy of Bao Menglong on Unsplash.)

The city of Fort Worth will spend $9.3 million to mitigate flooding and improve drainage systems along Randol Mill Road. The project is currently in design phase, and bidding will begin in August 2024. The city will begin in late 2024 or early 2025.

The Randol Mill Road project is part of the city’s Hazardous Road Overtopping Mitigation (HROM) program. The program is an ongoing effort to identify roads at risk of flooding and develop solutions to make them safer.

There are more than 300 road overtopping locations within Fort Worth. The city is prioritizing solutions for these dangerous locations based on severity of risk to the public and feasibility.

The city will address two overtopping sections along the road. Plans include realigning the roadway north, placing it away from the nearby creek. The city will raise the roadway and add underground stormdrain lines. In addition, the city will build a culvert beneath a nearby road and remove the Randol Mill crossings.

The city will also improve the roadway by building sidewalks and installing additional water and sewer lines. The project will adjust utilities, improve the trail at Mallard Cove Park and add a center turn lane to the roadway.

(Photo courtesy of the city of Fort Worth.)

Maintenance crews for the city of Tacoma, Washington, are testing a powerful new tool to help remove graffiti from city walls and infrastructure – Drones.

The city’s pilot program uses a protype drone that sprays paint that covers up graffiti on bridges and overpasses – which can be difficult to reach and risky for humans to try to cover up. Last year, Tacoma’s maintenance team spent over $815,000 and 10,000 hours removing graffiti.

Click here to learn more about Tacoma’s graffiti-removing drone program

(Photo courtesy of Dose Media on Unsplash.)

The community of Rancho Cucamonga, California, is planning to make the most of becoming a stop on a new high-speed rail line connecting southern California to Las Vegas.

Construction began last month on the $12 billion Brightline West High Speed Rail project, which is being touted as the first true bullet train in the United States, with speeds projected to reach 186 mph.

Click here to learn more about the high-speed rail line

(Photo courtesy of the city of Rancho Cucamonga.)

The Department of the Interior (DOI) has announced over $70 million for 43 projects in 29 states to improve fish passage around outdated structures such as dams and culverts. The investment contributes to climate resilience, recreation and local economies.

The new funds supplement previous investments from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Fish Passage Program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Nationwide barriers across the country make fish migration more difficult and increase flood risks.

Click here to learn which projects received funds

(Photo courtesy of the Fish and Wildlife Service.)

Texas has requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration for statewide communities following recent severe weather and flooding. Inclement weather has caused more than $58 million in public infrastructure damage and taken multiple lives since April 26.

A severe weather disaster declaration was issued April 30 after rainfall, flooding, hail and wind wreaked havoc across 98 counties in East Texas. The letter sent to President Joe Biden requested federal assistance through individual assistance programs for seven counties and public assistance programs for 26 counties most heavily impacted.

If the Presidential Disaster Declaration is approved, jurisdictions in designated counties could also apply for federal grants for cleanup and infrastructure repair. The funds could be used for debris removal, emergency protective measures, roads and bridges, water control facilities, public buildings and contents, public utilities, parks, recreational and other facilities.

Eligible Texans could also apply to federal programs for emergency financial assistance. The funds could be used for temporary housing, emergency home repairs, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, disaster legal services, disaster unemployment assistance and medical, dental and funeral expenses caused by the disaster.

The storms are the latest in a series of major natural disasters in Texas since 2022. The March 2024 Wildfires were the largest in the state’s history, burning over 1 million acres, destroying hundreds of homes and resulted in widespread livestock death. A severe weather disaster declaration was issued in January 2023 due to widespread property damage, injury and loss of life due to storms. Texas saw sweeping wildfires across the state in January 2022 as well.

(Photo courtesy of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.)

Molly Cook, an emergency room nurse, will serve the remainder of John Whitmire’s term in the Texas Senate. She defeated Rep. Jarvis Johnson in a special election May 4 to secure the seat. John Whitmire resigned from the Senate to take office as Houston mayor Jan. 1, 2024.

Cook will represent Senate District 15 for the remainder of the year. She is the first person to hold the Senate District 15 seat since 1983, when Mayor Whitmire was first elected to the Texas Senate. Cook previously challenged Mayor Whitmire for the seat in 2022 but was unable to win the majority vote.

While Cook was able to snatch an initial win in the special election, her race is not yet finished. She will still need to square off against Rep. Johnson on May 28 for the primary runoff election. When the March 5 primary election concluded, Rep. Johnson led the competition but did not have a large enough lead for an outright win.

The results of the primary runoff election will determine who will permanently fill Mayor Whitmire’s seat in the Senate. If Cook wins, she will be the first public member of the LGBTQ+ community to hold a permanent position in the upper chamber.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) program that seeks to solve transportation problems such as fuel consumption, pollution and congestion is entering its third year.

USDOT is now accepting applications for its Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grants program. The five-year program will fund up to $500 million in grants to conduct demonstrations and build prototypes.

Click here for details about this funding opportunity

(Photo courtesy of Grace Dadson on Unsplash.)

The city of Abilene has chosen Kyle McAlister as mayor pro tem and Travis Craver as deputy mayor pro tem. Both are current senior City Council members, with McAlister having served 11 years and Craver five years.

(Kyle McAlister left, Travis Craver right.)

The city of Addison has promoted Lesley Nyp to director of development and neighborhood services. Nyp has been serving as interim director for the department since April. She previously served the city as planning and development manager. She brings six years of local government experience with her.

The city of Arlington swore in Mauricio Galante as the District 1 representative May 14. Galante will serve a three-year term on the City Council. He brings more than two decades of private sector leadership experience to the role.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced these appointments and reappointments from May 10 through May 16:

Lower Neches Valley Authority Board Of Directors

Lee P. Mann of Woodville

Advisory Council On Cultural Affairs

Joe Esparza - Elgin

Michael Poku, M.D., - Plano

Stewart McGregor - Forney

(both reappointed)

Major General Juan G. Ayala, USMC (Ret.) - New Braunfels

Adriana Cruz - Austin

OneStar Foundation

Abidali “Abid” Neemuchwala - Little Elm

(both reappointed)

Michael Parker - Weatherford

Robert G. "Bob" Wright, II - Dallas

Texas Board Of Criminal Justice

Tom Fordyce - Huntsville

Governing Board Of The Texas School For The Blind And Visually Impaired

Hillary Rodriguez - Houston

(both reappointed)

Ruben “Dan” Brown, Jr. - Pflugerville

Julie R. Prause - Columbus

Finance Commission Of Texas

Kathleen Fields - San Antonio

David Osborn - El Paso

Troy Lambden - Graham

Miguel Romano - Austin

Governing Board Of The Texas Indigent Defense Commission

James “Jim” Bethke - Austin

J.R. Woolley - Waller

(all reappointed)

Valerie Covey - Georgetown

Richard Evans - Bandera

Missy Medary - Corpus Christi

April Farris - Houston

Texas Government Insider is a free weekly newsletter detailing important happenings throughout the state and summarizing current political issues relevant to individuals interested in government.

Publisher: Mary Scott Nabers

Editors:

Adam Rollins

Dave Doolittle