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The July 4 floods in Kerr County could result in more than 6,000 new cases of post-traumatic stress disorder among adults and about 2,000 cases of serious emotional disturbance in children without sustained access to mental health care, according to a new assessment released this week.
The assessment was conducted by the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country in partnership with the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute. It highlights that the psychological impacts of disasters often surface well after the initial crisis and can persist for years.
“These effects often emerge months after a disaster and persist without sustained care,” the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country said in a statement. “Informed by interviews with 70 local leaders and supported by data modeling, the report identifies where expanded mental health support is most needed.”
The findings build on broader recovery efforts already underway following the floods and are intended to guide long-term investment in mental health services across Kerr County.
In response, the Community Foundation announced a $1 million grant commitment to partner organizations working to expand mental health services in the area. Those groups include Light on the Hill, Hunt Independent School District, and the Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Centers.
Priority areas for the funding include expanding trauma and grief-informed care, increasing access to mental health services for children, and providing specialized support for bereaved families and frontline responders.
Foundation leaders say the goal is to ensure residents affected by the floods have access to mental health care throughout the long recovery process, not just in the immediate aftermath.
Disclosure: The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country is a TPR sponsor and CEO Austin Dickson is a member of TPR's board of directors. We cover them like we would any other organization.
