Mental health care workers pleaded with Texas lawmakers during this past legislative session not to make any cuts.
However, they didn't get what they asked for because legislators faced a $10 billion budget shortfall and had to make cuts in almost all state agencies.
Now those mental health care providers are taking a look at their newly slashed budgets and wondering how they'll serve some of the most vulnerable people in the state.
Wray Hooper takes medicine everyday to keep his bipolar disorder under control. After cuts from this past legislative session Hooper worries about his future.
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Mental health care
The legislature cut about $55.5 million in mental health care services.
 
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"All my medications and stuff are paid for by Medicaid and I've got to have the medications to help me survive, basically," Hooper said.
Lawmakers slashed adult mental health community services by 5.5 percent -- more than $32 million. They also cut children's mental health community services nearly 2 percent or more than $2 million. Legislators reduced spending at community hospitals by more than 23 percent, which is more than $12.5 million. And although lawmakers did not close a state hospital, they did cut spending at all 10 state hospitals by 1.7 percent, or $9 million.
The Legislature changed Medicaid affecting low-income Texans' ability to get mental health care. And lawmakers eliminated the mental health benefit in the Children's Health Insurance Program.
"What that means is that children who benefit from treatment won't do as well in school. They may find themselves in trouble with their community often and more drastically out of home or out of county placement for residential treatment or hospitalizations," Melanie Gantt, with the Texas Mental Health Association of Texas, said.
Mental health care providers said lawmakers have closed the door of the public mental health system.
"People that in the past could enter and get at least some level of care are now not going to get any care until they are either in crisis or they are going to go into other tax payer funded systems like emergency rooms or jails," Gantt said.
Mental health care workers said that would cost all Texans more money in the long run. Hooper said if Texas lawmakers had spent one day in his shoes they never would have made the cuts.
The budget cuts aren't official yet. The state comptroller must still certify the state budget and the governor must sign it.
