the Press Room

MAY 2021

May 19, 2021

Helping Texas Youth Access Mental Health Resources Through Education and Creativity

MARCH 2021

March 1, 2021

How you can get help in Houston and surrounding areas- Including mental health support from Mental Health America of Greater Houston

FEBRUARY 2021

February 9, 2021

Jamie Freeny, DrPH, MPH, Director of the Center for School Behavioral Health at MHAGH spoke with Isobella Harkrider at Reform Austin News regarding the mental health of Kids and what steps parents can take to address changes in a child’s behavior

February 1, 2021

Dr. Jamie Freeny, DrPH, MPH, Director of the Center of School Behavioral Health at MHA Houston spoke with Dr. Cofield of Real World Real Talk about mental health and children- starting the new year off right.

JANUARY 2021

January 21, 2021

Renae Vania Tomczak, MBA President and Chief Executive Officer at Mental Health America of Greater Houston shared insight with Isobella Harkrider of Reform Austin about mental health benefits from sleep, physical activity, and diet.

January 10, 2021

Renae Vania Tomczak, MHAGH CEO spoke with Emma Whalen of Community Impact about the Police reform report calls for boost to mental health intervention.

DECEMBER 2020

December 9, 2020

Renae Vania Tomczak talked with Isobella Harkrider of Reform Austin about grieving over the holidays during a pandemic.

December 3, 2020

MHAGH CEO, Renae Vania Tomczak discussed Winter Blues and Managing Holiday Grief with Dr. D.Z Cofield for Real World Real Talk.

NOVEMBER 2020

November 16, 2020
Dr. Jamie Freeny, spoke with Juliette Fairly of Education Daily Wire about students’ mental health challenges with virtual learning 

November 14, 2020
Dr. Jamie Freeny discussed child mental health with Shelby Webb of the Houston Chronicle 

November 11, 2020
Christy Chatham, Director of Veterans Behavioral Health to speak with Brheanna Berry of ABC 13 KTRK about veterans’ battle with loneliness, depression, anxiety and PTSD.

OCTOBER 2020

October 21, 2020
Dr. Jamie Freeny, Director of CSBH, spoke with Andy Cerota of KPRC2 about the Learning Loss Texas Students are Experiencing During the Pandemic

October 15, 2020
Renae Vania Tomczak spoke with Sugarland Community Impact about the Coronavirus Pandemic Mental Health Professionals Increase in Anxiety and Depression Levels Rise

SEPTEMBER 2020

September 16, 2020
Renae Vania Tomczak spoke with Schaefer Edwards of Houston Press about the need for more mental health support after tragedy with Nicolas Chavez

September 2, 2020
Houston Kraft and Marvin Pierre, Keynote Speakers for our Annual CSBH Conference, discussed equity and social emotional learning in 2020 with Wayne Carter of NBC 5

AUGUST 2020

August 25, 2020
Dr. Jamie Freeny, Director of CSBH spoke with Raven Ambers of ABC 13 about how parents can help children cope during a hurricane event during a pandemic. 

August 20, 2020
Lauren Pursley, Training Specialist told Raven Ambers of ABC 13 adopting daily routines can also help people struggling to adjust to the pandemic. 

August 21, 2020
Lauren Pursley, Training Specialist at MHA of Greater Houston spoke with Raven Ambers of ABC 13 about a study that shows US workers risk for depression up 102%

August 21, 2020
Alejandra Posada, COO at MHA of Greater Houston discussed increased mental health tests with Jessica Guerrero from channel 61 of Star TV.

JULY 2020

July 28, 2020
Dr. Jamie Freeny, Director, Center for School Behavioral Health, spoke with Roxie Bustamante of Houston’s ABC 13 about the mental health impacts as some children will not return to in-person learning this fall. 

July 13, 2020
Gustavo A. Molinar, M.A., Mental Health Literacy Specialist, featured piece in MHA National blog on (Re) Defining Resilience: A Perspective of ‘Toughness’ in BIPOC Communities

July 1, 2020
Dr. Jamie Freeny, Director of the Center for School Behavioral Health spoke with The Cut about the secondary trauma that can develop after routinely witnessing Black murders in the media.

JUNE 2020

June 30, 2020
Renae Vania-Tomczak, President & CEO at MHA of Greater Houston spoke about the impact of a 2nd shutdown with Raven Ambers of ABC 13 Houston.

June 11, 2020
The Daily Cougar features MHA of Greater Houston partnership with Southern Smoke and the Psychology Department at the University of Houston to provide free mental health services to restaurant workers and their families

June 3, 2020
Dr. Jamie Freeny, Director, Center for School Behavioral Health Interviewed by Raven Ambers of ABC13 Houston regarding the protests and how fighting racial injustice can impact mental health

MAY 2020

May 29, 2020
Houston Business Journal features the partnership between MHA of Greater Houston, Southern Smoke and University of Houston. Local restaurateur’s nonprofit teams up with mental health organizations to help workers statewide

May 29, 2020
Dr. Jamie Freeny, Director, Center for School Behavioral Health spoke with Raven Ambers of ABC 13 Houston about police killings and the profound effects on mental health of Black Americans

May 27, 2020
Featured in Houston Eater to announce MHA Houston’s new initiative with Southern Smoke and University of Houston to provide mental health services to restaurant workers and their families, free of charge

May 25, 2020
Renae Vania-Tomczak, President and CEO, spoke with Houston Press Journalist, Jesse Sendejas Jr., about the importance of musicians focusing on mental health during mental health awareness month

APRIL 2020

April 18, 2020
Dr. Jamie Freeny spoke with Alex Stuckey of the Houston Chronicle about how Houston has experienced a series of unfortunate events and children are likely suffering for it

MARCH 2020

March 30, 2020
Kara Hill, Director, Integrated Healthcare Initiative, spoke with Ron Trevino at KHOU 11 about Mental Health Resources available in Houston

March 24, 2020
Dr. Stephen Linder, MHA of Greater Houston Board Member, spoke with Ted Oberg and Sarah Rafique from ABC 13 about Texas Hospitals and if they are ready for the steep rise in COVID-19 cases.

March 16, 2020
Dr. Asim Shah, Board Chair at MHA of Greater Houston went Live with ABC 13 to answer the communities coronavirus and mental health questions

FEBRUARY 2020

February 17, 2020
Spencer Walker, Fort Bend Community Director sits down with Keith Garvin of KPRC2 Houston to discuss veterans battling against PTSD and suicide.

NOVEMBER 2019

November 29, 2019
Annalee Gulley, Director, Public Policy interviewed by Eric Dexheimer of the Houston Chronicle regarding delays which create “𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀- 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁”

November 19, 2019
MHA of Greater Houston featured in the Houston Chronicle for partnership with Ready Rosie on toolkit that can prepare children for future storms

November 18, 2019
Janet Pozmantier, previous director of the three-person Center for School Behavioral Health told Sarah D. Sparks of Education Week that the scale of the need for trauma and mental-health services in the 31 southeast Texas school districts they serve has been daunti

OCTOBER 2019

October 24, 2019
Texas WHC spotlight on Renae Vania-Tomczak and Mental Health America of Greater Houston

October 17, 2019
Kathleen Franks, Communications and Marketing Manager spoke to Mellisa Wilson on Fox 26 about The Mental Health Guide provided to the community by MHA of Greater Houston

SEPTEMBER 2019

September 16, 2019
Board Member, Lisa Foronda Harper shares her relationship with suicide in a moving Op-Ed for The Houston Chronicle

September 10, 2019
Dr. Natalie Fikac, Prior Director, Center for School Behavioral Health speaks on UNICEF’s podcast: UNITE for Children about Helping Houston and Bay County Heal

AUGUST 2019

August 29, 2019
Houston Chronicle features MHA of Greater Houston’s Annual Art Showcase, which helps children who have been traumatized by Hurricane Harvey express their emotions