The University of Texas at Tyler Collaborates with the Andrews Center to Raise Mental Health Awareness
April 29, 2024 | Elizabeth Wingfield
The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine is partnering with Andrews Center to raise awareness of mental health needs in East Texas through the Mental Health Summit.
Andrews Center is hosting the East Texas Mental Health Summit on May 7, 2024, 2-4 p.m. in the W.T. Brookshire Conference Center at 2000 W. Front St. in Tyler. The event is free, open to the public and will feature the state’s leading authorities on mental health.
“One significant gap we've identified in East Texas health care is the lack of mental health support,” said Dr. Brigham Willis, UT Tyler School of Medicine dean. “It's a privilege for us to team up with Andrews Center to shed light on the urgency of this issue.”
East Texas has some of the highest suicide mortality rates in the state, according to Texas Health and Human Services. The per capita suicide mortality rate in Smith, Henderson, Rains, Van Zandt, and Wood counties—Andrews Senter’s five-county service area—has risen 77% over the past 22 years, surpassing Texas’ 46% increase.
“Suicide—and all mental illness—is truly devastating,” said Lynn Rutland, Andrews Center CEO. “If mental health disorders have impacted you or your family, we invite you to join us at the East Texas Mental Health Summit. Your mere presence will lend support and help us draw more attention to the subject of mental health.”
The featured speakers at the Mental Health Summit will be Dr. Cheryl McCullumsmith, UT Tyler School of Medicine chair of the Robert M. Rogers Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine; Lee Johnson, Texas Council of Community Centers CEO, and Andy Keller, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute president and CEO. After the conference, participants will have the opportunity to learn more about mental health services in the area during the resource vendor show, 4-5 p.m.
“I’m honored to be able to speak about this issue, alongside other renowned mental health experts,” said McCullumsmith. “This is an opportunity for us to come together as a community and share insights and strategies to address the critical mental health needs in our region.”
To register for the Mental Health Summit, go to andrewscenter.com/east-texas-mental-health-summit.
About Andrews Center
Andrews Center is one of 39 local mental health authorities throughout Texas, providing services and support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, serious mental illness, veterans’ support and substance use disorders. Andrews Center serves five counties: Smith, Henderson, Rains, Van Zandt and Wood. Without Andrews Center, more than 12,000 people would not have access to mental health care. Andrews Center is chartered to serve as the mental health authority for its five-county region, helping the organizations and individuals in East Texas work together in collaboration and coordination to solve mental health care challenges in the community.
About UT Tyler
With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.