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