Letter from Steven B . Schnee , Ph . D .
Chief Executive Officer of The Harris Center
Dear Friends-
As I sit and write this letter , I cannot help but reflect on the fact that I will soon be celebrating my 25th anniversary at the helm of The Harris Center as well as embarking on my last few months with the Agency before my retirement . It amazes me how rapidly these years have flown by and the significant changes that have occurred within the Agency and the health care environment in general .
When I first arrived at the Mental Health Mental Retardation Authority ( MHMRA ) of Harris County in September of 1992 , I knew that I was in for a unique , demanding and rewarding experience . However , the realities of my tenure at the Agency are beyond anything I could have imagined .
In Fiscal Year 1993 , my first on the job , MHMRA of Harris County served 28,430 individuals and had under 1,000 employees . In Fiscal Year 2016 , The Harris Center had over 2,300 employees and served 51,518 individuals through our four service divisions . In addition , we served over 18,000 individuals at the Harris County Jail through our contract with the Harris County Sheriff ’ s Office . While these numbers are impressive in and of themselves and demonstrate the tremendous growth and impact of the Agency , they do not do justice to the substantial efforts made by our dedicated staff , Board of Trustees , public officials , and community partners over the years to achieve the level of impact that has occurred within the limits of available resources .
I look forward to seeing what the next 25 years will bring in the Agency ’ s efforts to continue Transforming Lives .
While two and a half decades may seem like a long time , the truth is that when you love what you do , it goes by all too fast . I want to thank all of you for the support , collaboration and friendship you have bestowed upon me and The Harris Center during this time . It truly does take a village , and we would not be where we are today without you .
Enjoy the rest of your summer !
Sincerely , Steven B . Schnee , Ph . D . Chief Executive Officer
IDD Crisis Care - There when you need them
All of us need support from time to time . Whether we need to have a good cry or a good laugh , knowing we have someone to turn to in a time of crisis is a comfort many of us take for granted .
For individuals living with intellectual and developmental disabilities ( IDD ), finding that help is not always easy . The same is true for those who serve as caregivers for loved ones with IDD . At The Harris Center , the IDD Intensive Needs Program is available to help provide the support and compassion that many need .
While the IDD Intensive Needs Program provides community-based supports throughout Harris County , it also has a component that focuses on providing crisis care . Implemented in 2016 as an initiative of the State of Texas and led by Clinical Team Leader Amanda Willis , LCSW-S , the three person staff is composed of master level clinicians who provide assessments , support and linkage to on-going community-based services for individuals with IDD who find themselves in a crisis .
The team receives most of its referrals from The Harris Center Crisis Line , which is available to anyone experiencing a mental health and / or IDD related crisis 24-hours per day . While the staff of the Crisis Line assist with the immediate needs of the caller , Willis and her team follow-up on referrals to their program the next business day .
According to Willis , most of the calls they receive usually come directly from caregivers who are not sure how to deal with crises involving their loved ones .
“ They ’ re also very stressed , overwhelmed and don ’ t have a lot of supports and services .
So it makes it very challenging ,” said Willis .
Some of the scenarios that the crisis care team sees include behavioral issues such as physical and verbal aggression , property destruction , self-injury , placement issues when an individual can no longer be cared for appropriately in the home and communication problems when the individual cannot express wants or needs adequately . Another frequent scenario is when an individual with IDD also has a co-occurring mental illness that may not have been previously diagnosed or properly treated .
As a clinical psychologist who works with the IDD Intensive Needs Program , Alton Bozeman , PsyD , said that simply getting individuals with IDD properly diagnosed with a co-occurring mental illness is sometimes a challenge . This is due in part to diagnostic overshadowing , where a person ’ s symptoms may be wrongly attributed to an existing diagnosis rather than to a previously undiagnosed condition . The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed estimates that approximately 30-35 percent of individuals living with IDD also have a cooccurring mental illness .
“ However , with our population , it tends to skew much further towards having a dual diagnosis ,” said Dr . Bozeman .
The complexities involved in supporting and caring for an individual with a dual diagnosis is a large part of why The Harris Center offers the crisis component found in the IDD Intensive Needs Program .
“ One of our goals at The Harris Center is to serve people with IDD through the lifespan . This means that we ’ re there during some of the best times and also some of the most difficult times for our consumers and their families ,” said Willis .
To request assistance from the IDD Intensive Needs Program , please contact The Harris Center Crisis Line at 713-970-7000 , option 1 .
Transforming Lives Now the podcast of The Harris Center
Episode : Intellectual Disability & Autism Services at The Harris Center
Listen by visiting : http :// bit . ly / IDDServices
With guests : Amanda Willis , LCSW-S Clinical Team Leader for IDD Intensive Needs- Crisis Care
Alton Bozeman , PsyD Clinical Psychologist , VI