1-1                                     1
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 824
 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes great
 1-4     pleasure in recognizing the 25th anniversary of the Mental Health
 1-5     Mental Retardation Authority of Brazos Valley on March 25, 1999;
 1-6     and
 1-7           WHEREAS, Established in 1974, the first center was a small
 1-8     organization with 15 employees; the Mental Health Mental Retardation
 1-9     Authority of Brazos Valley has grown to an operation with a budget
1-10     in 1998 of $9.2 million and 240 employees utilized in 14 different
1-11     locations; and
1-12           WHEREAS, With field offices in the seven county area of
1-13     Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Robertson, and Washington,
1-14     the authority has expanded dramatically over the last 25 years; and
1-15           WHEREAS, Over the years services have grown to include
1-16     Emergency Services, which provide admissions coordination into
1-17     mental health mental retardation facilities, crisis hotline
1-18     information, crisis intervention, support, and caller referrals;
1-19     and
1-20           WHEREAS, There is an Early Childhood Intervention Program
1-21     for children with developmental disabilities for newborns through
1-22     age three, as well as case management, medical, therapeutic, and
1-23     educational services which are available; and
1-24           WHEREAS, For the mentally disabled individual to learn to use
 2-1     available support services, there are Case Management Services;
 2-2     a Crisis Recovery Program is in place which will furnish respite
 2-3     service for up to 30 days; and
 2-4           WHEREAS, A Supported Housing Program for seriously mentally
 2-5     ill homeless persons gives them transitional housing and necessary
 2-6     support services to help prepare the clients for placement in
 2-7     permanent housing arrangements; and
 2-8           WHEREAS, For adults with mental retardation, Home and
 2-9     Community Services gives support and access to many resources,
2-10     which allows them to live at home instead of in an institution;
2-11     and
2-12           WHEREAS, With Child and Adolescent Services, the ultimate
2-13     aim is to maximize the independent functioning of the family, to
2-14     minimize the possibility of future problems, and to improve the
2-15     client's coping abilities; this program includes psychological
2-16     testing and evaluation, treatment, and case management services;
2-17     and
2-18           WHEREAS, The newest program is the Autism Program, in which
2-19     services are provided by staff members with expertise in autism
2-20     and pervasive developmental disorders; the purpose of the program
2-21     is providing short-term intensive services permitting the client
2-22     to progress to regular services or community supports; and
2-23           WHEREAS, A Volunteer Program was begun in 1986, and it
2-24     immediately received strong support from caring individuals to
2-25     help others; in the beginning, there were 56 volunteers, and the
2-26     number has grown to 400 who worked nearly 60,000 hours last year;
 3-1     certainly the work of this institution is worthy of legislative
 3-2     recognition; now, therefore, be it
 3-3           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
 3-4     76th Legislature, hereby congratulate the Mental Health Mental
 3-5     Retardation Authority of Brazos Valley on the momentous occasion
 3-6     of its 25th anniversary; and, be it further
 3-7           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
 3-8     the organization as an expression of the highest regard of the
 3-9     Texas Senate.
3-10                                                         Ogden, Moncrief
3-11                                  ______________________________________
3-12                                          President of the Senate
3-13                                       I hereby certify that the above
3-14                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
3-15                                  on May 3, 1999.
3-16                                  ______________________________________
3-17                                          Secretary of the Senate
3-18                                  ______________________________________
3-19                                           Member, Texas Senate
3-20                                  ______________________________________
3-21                                           Member, Texas Senate