UT Austin among Texas universities to receive funding to support forensic psychiatry training

The funding will help develop a 1-year fellowship program for licensed physicians, training them to work at the intersection of mental health and the legal system.

AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott has announced new funding aimed at expanding mental health care across Texas, including in Austin.

The state is awarding $555,555 each to the University of Texas at Austin and eight other institutions as part of a $5 million grant program supporting forensic psychiatry training.

The funding will help UT and the other schools develop and expand a 1-year fellowship for licensed physicians, training them to work at the intersection of mental health and the legal system. 

Forensic psychiatry focuses on evaluations, treatment and research for patients involved in civil and criminal cases, with an emphasis on safety and risk. State leaders say the investment will strengthen the workforce and increase access to critical mental health services statewide. 

Texas Higher Education Commissioner Wynn Rosser said all nine recipients of the funding highlighted “innovative programs and strong collaboration with other institutions” in their grant applications, “demonstrating a shared commitment to make Texas a national leader in forensic psychiatry.”

 The nine intuitions receiving grant funding are: 

Baylor College of Medicine in HoustonTexas Tech University Health Sciences Center in LubbockTexas Tech University Health Sciences Center El PasoThe University of Texas at AustinThe University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonThe University of Texas Health Science Center at San AntonioThe University of Texas Health Science Center at TylerThe University of Texas Medical Branch at GalvestonThe University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas

Learn more about the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Program here.