MHMR To Change Its Name At Beginning Of New Year
El Paso’s Center for Mental Health and Mental Retardation, the leading provider of mental health services in the Borderland, will soon undergo a name change.
Many hope it brings with a new beginning for the embattled agency.
MHMR’s new name, expected to be approved in January, will be Emergence Health Network. Although the name change is due to changes in federal law, removing the term mental retardation from the federal statute, it also gives the troubled agency the chance for a new start.
In March 2011, with MHMR struggling in the face of millions in state budget cuts, El Paso County Commissioners Court voted to replace the agency’s entire board of directors. On Monday, MHMR Board President Mike Wendt gave a positive report on the progress that’s been made since the changes to the board makeup.
Although state budget cuts were projected to be as much as $5 million this year for MHMR, those cuts ended up being less than $2 million. That, coupled with better communication with supporting agencies at the County and University Medical Center, has allowed MHMR to better manage its expenses and exceed revenue projections, according to the new MHMR board.
Wendt said MHMR is now serving about 3,400 patients, about 500 patients more than are covered by state funding.
“Nothing has really changed in the organization,” Wendt said. “You’ve got the same players at every level and they’re doing a hell of a job. The difference being it’s in a calm atmosphere now.”
County Judge Veronica Escobar, who lobbied for the change in board members early last year, said it is already benefiting the community.
“The benefit is the community will have and already has a much stronger organization and ultimately, for the long term, the community has some leaders thinking through how to get in front of problems that are chronic,” Escobar said.
Escobar is confident that moving forward with the new board and the upcoming name change for MHMR will restore faith in the agency. She added that hopefully will encourage other supporting agencies, like the city, which pulled its funding of MHMR last year, to return and re-invest in mental health care in the community.
