Government-Henderson County Now

Henderson County marks Child Abuse Awareness, Sexual Assault Awareness month

By mvhannigan

April is Child Abuse Awareness and Sexual Assault Awareness month in Texas and, as is the custom in Henderson County, time for the people who fight against the violent scourge to come together.

They did that on the courthouse lawn Tuesday afternoon — law enforcement, advocates, volunteers, victims and their families — for a proclamation reading.

A visual reminder of the problem was provided by the blue and teal ribbons worn by everyone, and by the Clothesline Project, hanging t-shirts that represent victims of domestic violence.

“Every year that T-Shirt Project grows larger and larger,” said East Texas Crisis Center Director of Outreach Donna Johnson, “and I like to think it is not necessarily because we have more victims, but because more survivors are coming forward and telling their stories.”

Getting the victims to come forward is no easy task. Johnson said it was recently reported that just 18 percent of sexual assaults are reported.

“That leaves 80 percent of offenders that are never detected,” Johnson said. “Those are staggering numbers.”

Even with just one-fifth of assaults reported, Texas still handled more than 19,000 cases in 2011.

The East Texas Crisis Center, with the help of a sexual assault lawyer, has already helped 15 victims of sexual assault in just the first three months of 2013.

Elvis Allen of CASA of Trinity Valley said there were 161 confirmed cases of child abuse in Henderson County. Nearly half of those ended up in foster care.

“Unfortunately, we see these kids on almost a daily basis,” he said.

In 2012 CASA of Trinity Valley advocated for 245 children in foster care — and nearly half of those were under the age of 5.

“Our most youngest and vulnerable citizens,” he said.

“Let us all as citizens commit to making our county a safe and nurturing place for our children to grow and prosper,” he said.

See more photos from the event here.

Go Blue T-shirts

The District Attorney’s Office, County Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Office and Child Advocacy Center are promoting the Go Blue t-shirt campaign for the fifth straight year.

Henderson County teachers in grades 5 and lower receive free blue ribbon t-shirts, because teachers are the frontline of defense against child abuse.

The shirts are also for sale to the public for $10, with extra large sizes $13.

This year’s campaign is: “Have a heart, do your part; Prevent child abuse.”

Proceeds from the sale of the shirts help fund a fourth-grade poster contest for Henderson County schools, which is designed to educate and raise awareness and child abuse prevention.

Tuesday, April 30, will be Go Blue Day in Henderson County.

“We are rallying the community to stand together and help us turn Henderson County blue to show support,” said DeAnna Browning, crime victims coordinator at the District Attorney’s Office. “We are asking for citizens to encourage their family, friends, and co-workers not only to wear blue but to purchase a 2013 Go Blue t-shirt to help us end child abuse and neglect.”

The Go Blue t-shirts can be purchase at Island Tans in Athens or through Betty Herriage and DeAnna Browning with the Henderson County District Attrney’s Office at 903-675-6100 (ext. 6).

CASA Superhero Run

The annual CASA of Trinity Valley Superhero 5K run will be held Saturday, April 20, at the Cain Center.

The event includes a 5K race, child’s 1K race/walk and an adult 1K fun walk. Registration opens at 7 a.m. and races beginning at 8 a.m.

You can also register here.

T-shirts will be given to the first 300 registrants. Also the 4th Annual Kids Day, sponsored by Henderson County District Attorney’s Office and the Henderson County Attorney’s Office, will be provided as wrap around activities for the races. The local Athens Police Department will be fingerprinting and photographing kids for a permanent ID. There will be lots of activities for kids and everyone is encouraged to wear their superhero costumes to the races.

Op-Ed: State Rep. Jim Pitts says state making strides in mental health

By Representative Sylvester Turner, Representative Jim Pitts, and Representative John Zerwas, M.D.

On the heels of the last year’s considerable gun violence across this country, many critics arose sparking debates on gun control, public safety, and the state of our nation’s mental health. These have all involved strongly-worded and passionate discussions on both sides of the argument. Above any other concern, one immediate action which can positively affect Texas is a much greater focus on our state’s behavioral health system. This has not been lost in the Texas House of Representatives during this legislative session, and in fact, has been a specific interest during the House Budget process.

The House Appropriations Committee has recently passed a budget that will soon be heard on the House Chamber floor which holds a significant amount of new and increased funding opportunities to serve those populations requiring substance abuse and behavioral and mental health services in our state. Some have said for a time that the state needed to do more regarding mental health. While there are some services in place, there are long waiting lists or other factors making them inaccessible to some. Some even accessing out-of-state services such as the Honey Lake Clinic.

The Texas House of Representatives can be proud of these transformational budget recommendations supporting mental health and substance abuse initiatives, and it should be acknowledged that the overall program increases are a historic decision for the House Appropriations Committee and the entire Texas House of Representatives.

Regarding specific programs and actual funding, the House Appropriations bill contains $2.5 billion all funds in behavioral health and substance abuse funding. This amount contains just over $1.7 billion in state general revenue. These amounts are very indicative of the significance placed by the House Appropriations Committee on improving the behavioral well-being of Texans.

With these substantial amounts, we have opted to fund several unique and continuing opportunities within our state’s greater mental health and substance abuse programs. Our state’s network of county jails is currently one of the nation’s largest housing systems for the population of individuals with mental illness, and it is imperative that we relieve our jails of this burden and offer meaningful services for those incarcerated persons who require treatment. Placing individuals into treatment and mental health services offers opportunity that reduces criminal recidivism and promotes longer term wellness. It is the legislature’s hope that this session’s budget decisions will greatly address the ever-increasing need for higher quality, deeper, and more impactful services.

House Bill 1 entirely eliminates waiting lists for adults and children requiring community behavioral health services. The bill provides an additional 6,000 slots for clients in crisis over the 2014-2015 biennium. More than 1,000 new clients will be able to access services through public/private collaborative community opportunities. More than 2,900 new individuals will receive services through state substance abuse treatment programs than in the last state budget. Finally, more than 1,600 individuals in need will receive supportive housing services through our Housing Options for the Homeless program, contributing to a safer Texas, and allowing for these individuals to have an opportunity for personal success.

Finally, our state is currently at a crossroads in opportunity where we have the ability to make enormous changes that deeply impact those who require mental health and substance abuse treatment, through the state’s application to and approval of the federal 1115 transformation waiver. The $6 billion waiver allows for regional healthcare partnerships to develop and implement projects which affect local healthcare and mental health providers in individual communities. Because the 1115 waiver is a waiver of federal Medicaid requirements, this is not part of our state’s 2014-2015 budget, but the amount of funding within the waiver specifically applicable to mental health and substance abuse initiatives ($2 billion over the next four years) is overwhelmingly unprecedented. With this source of funding, it is clear that the state, in partnership with local communities, will commit to exceeding all previous accomplishments in serving those Texans with mental health and substance abuse needs.

Texans can be proud of the priority their House of Representatives has placed on mental health during the 83rd Legislature. With this transformative investment, our state will make large strides toward a healthier Texas.

Halbert named MDT Member of the Year

Investigator Jessica Halbert, second from left, was named the Multi-disciplinary Team Member of the Year last month. (COURTESY PHOTO)

HELP Center press release

The Child Advocacy Center awarded the Multi-disciplinary Team Member of the Year Award to Investigator Jessica Halbert with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. The award was presented on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at the HELP Center during a Multi-disciplinary team meeting.

The Henderson County Multi-disciplinary team is a collaborative group of all law enforcement agencies, victim service groups, Child Protective Services, County and District Attorney, medical staff and other organizations that meet monthly. This group meets to discuss and improve the investigation and prosecution of crimes against children of Henderson County, and to ensure that the victims of these crimes are offered the services they need.

The Team Member Award is voted on by the Multi-disciplinary team members throughout the year. Recipients have shown an aggressive stance in responses and actions taken with child abuse cases. Quarterly awards that were presented during the year for 2012: Investigator Jessica Halbert, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office; Sue Hinson, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner; Laura Holder, County Attorney’s Office; Lynett Anderson, East Texas Medical Center, SANE.

From this group Jessica Halbert was selected by the Multi-disciplinary team as being the team member of the year for 2012.

Investigator Halbert worked over 100 cases in 2012.

The Child Advocacy Center facilitates the Multi-disciplinary Team that involve multiple agencies throughout the county. The Child Advocacy Center is a program of the Henderson County HELP Center.

For more information call the HELP Center 903-675-4357 or visit our website www.thehelpcenter.org.

Making a Splash: Organizers break ground at Kiwanis Park

Organizers get ready to break ground Wednesday, March 27, at Kiwanis Park for a splash pad. (MICHAEL V. HANNIGAN PHOTO)

By mvhannigan

There wasn’t any water in sight when more than two dozen officials from Athens’ government and civic organizations gathered in Kiwanis Park Wednesday morning.

But it was still a big day for the Splash Pad project.

Members of the Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis Club joined city officials, including the mayor and city administrator, to ceremonially break ground on the project this week just six months after it was first announced.

A splash pad, for those uninitiated, is a water feature that includes no standing water. The pads usually have nozzles that spray water into the air, buckets that drop water, rainbow tubes that spray water, mushroom showers, tree showers, etc.

There were 12 gold shovels which, according to Chamber Board Chairman and pastor at Athens Life Fellowship Church Mark Allen, represents perfect government in the Bible.

“It is like a perfect melding of us all coming together as a city. We are representing it by 12 shovels saying this is is perfect government, and that we do it together and that we work together and we can accomplish more together,” he said.

“I really believe the best days for Athens are ahead, I really do believe that. And as we continue to work together we will see even greater days,” he added.

The Splash Pad is a combined project by the Athens Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis Club, the Athens Leadership Institute (ALI, which is a chamber program), and the city.

Splash pads have become very popular in recent years at least in part because of the low cost of maintenance.

While organizers were able to turn dirt to get started, there is still fundraising to do. The project is about $50,000 short of its projected cost.

Enough has been raised to start the splash pad, but the rest of the project money is for items like fencing, parking, sidewalks and complying with the all-important Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) rules so that children in wheelchairs can enjoy the water.

One of the best aspects of the project, according to chamber board member Kim Hodges, is how it has become a true community effort. Donations have ranged from a child giving the money she received from the Tooth Fairy to a $25,000 corporate check.

This week, Girl Scout Troop 1999 brought in $67 … all raised in pennies.

If you would like to make a donation to the project, please call Kim Hodges at First State Bank, 903-676-1923.

TxDOT Projects Under Construction in Henderson County

Special to HCN

US 175, FM 773, FM 47 – Adding shoulders to US 175 from 1.5 miles north of North Loop 60 in LaRue to 1.5 miles south of South Loop 60 in LaRue; adding shoulders to FM 773 between FM 1803 and FM 1616 in Murchison and applying a seal coat to FM 773 between SH 31 in Murchison and the Van Zandt County Line; and adding shoulders to FM 47 in Van Zandt County between FM 1651 and SH 198 near Mabank. The approximate $3.7 million project let to contract in December 2011, began construction in March 2012 and is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2013. A.L. Helmcamp, Inc., of
Buffalo, is the contractor.

SH 19 – Widening to add passing lanes in various locations between four miles south of FM 1615 (Coon Creek Bridge) and the Anderson County Line. The approximate $6.4 million project let to contract in August 2012, began in November and is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2014. APAC-Texas,
Inc., of Dallas, is the contractor.

Upcoming FY 2013 Projects

SH 274 – Adding shoulders between FM 3225 in Tool and SH 31 in Trinidad. The $3.3 million project let to contract in February and is scheduled to begin in the spring. Big Creek Construction, Ltd., of Hewitt, is the contractor.

SH 31 – Night work to repair and resurface pavement in Athens Square. The $518,000 project let in March and is scheduled to begin in April or May. APAC-Texas, Inc., of Dallas, is the contractor.

SH 31 – Repair and resurface between FM 773 in Murchinson between FM 773 and FM 1803, and repair and resurface westbound lanes only between FM 1803 and FM 214 in Brownsboro. The estimated $5 million project is scheduled to let to contract in April 2013.

Seal Coat Roads

US 175 between the Kaufman/Henderson county line near Mabank and FM 804 southeast of Athens, including some work inside Loop 7 in Athens.