Public Policy
One of NBHP’s primary goals is to identify policy priorities amongst its membership and work together as a strong voice representing the behavioral health provider community in Greater Houston. During the 88th Legislative Session, NBHP’s top issue was to ensure that the Texas Legislature continues to invest in and improve access to high quality mental health and substance use disorder services in the Greater Houston area and across Texas. These efforts will continue into the upcoming 89th Legislative Session (beginning January 2025), as well as several other priorities listed below. Please navigate this webpage to learn more about NBHP's legislative involvement at the local and state level (s).
89th Legislative Session
| signonlogos_nbhp_89th_lege_priorities.docx |
With sign-on support from NAMI Texas, Recovery People, and Texas Association of Addiction Professionals.
We were pleased to welcome The Honorable Texas State Representative, District 137, Gene Wu, as well as the offices of The Honorable Harris County Commissioner, Precinct 1, Rodney Ellis and The Honorable Harris County Commissioner, Precinct 4, Lesley Briones at our NBHP Strategic Planning 2024-2027 meeting, where they weighed in on our legislative priorities and organizational strategy concerning public policy work.
We were pleased to welcome The Honorable Texas State Representative, District 137, Gene Wu, as well as the offices of The Honorable Harris County Commissioner, Precinct 1, Rodney Ellis and The Honorable Harris County Commissioner, Precinct 4, Lesley Briones at our NBHP Strategic Planning 2024-2027 meeting, where they weighed in on our legislative priorities and organizational strategy concerning public policy work.
Please see NBHP's 89th Legislative Session Policy Platform above. The above document will indicate how NBHP participates in advocacy efforts during the legislative session, i.e. providing testimony, witness, alerts, and other forms of advocacy to mobilize the community to advance behavioral health care in Texas.
Please see NBHP's 89th Legislative Session Bill Tracker, here. Pre-filing has begun, and bills will continue to be filed at the Texas Legislature from now until mid-March. NBHP updates the Bill Tracker daily and monitors any changes in bill movement. Please feel free to share the Tracker and utilize for yourself or for your organization during the session!
Please see NBHP's Budget Tracker. The document will be updated at the release of each version of the General Appropriations Bill.
Please see NBHP's 89th Legislative Session Bill Tracker, here. Pre-filing has begun, and bills will continue to be filed at the Texas Legislature from now until mid-March. NBHP updates the Bill Tracker daily and monitors any changes in bill movement. Please feel free to share the Tracker and utilize for yourself or for your organization during the session!
Please see NBHP's Budget Tracker. The document will be updated at the release of each version of the General Appropriations Bill.
NBHP and Elected Officials
In 2024, NBHP was honored to host The Honorable Texas State Representative Ann Johnson, District 134, as the keynote speaker of our Annual Celebration & Awards Luncheon. We were humbled to receive a Proclamation from the office of Houston Mayor John Whitmore, designating October 10 as “NBHP Day” in Houston, as well as a Resolution from the office of Rodney Ellis, Harris County Commissioner Precinct 1 memorializing the day and the event.
In other highlights, NBHP hosted The Honorable Texas State Representative Lauren Simmons at our luncheon event. Our PCH Program Director ran into Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo in Houston. Recently, NBHP's Lisa Albert and Sydney Carter were invited to The Council on Recovery's meeting with newly-elected Texas State Senator, District 15 Molly Cook.
In other highlights, NBHP hosted The Honorable Texas State Representative Lauren Simmons at our luncheon event. Our PCH Program Director ran into Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo in Houston. Recently, NBHP's Lisa Albert and Sydney Carter were invited to The Council on Recovery's meeting with newly-elected Texas State Senator, District 15 Molly Cook.
NBHP: Medicaid Expansion Matters in Texas
88th Legislature - Interim Session Update
In October 2023, the Texas Health & Human Services Commission (HHSC) released the call for submissions for Legislative Appropriations Requests (LARs) from stakeholders. HHSC will review and analyze the LARs submissions to inform their budget recommendations to the Texas Legislature for the next state budget, the 2026-2027 budget cycle.
NBHP submitted our own comments (first document below) as well as participated in a joint sign-on letter with RecoveryPeople (second document below). Finally, we participated in the creation of the recommendations of the Texas Coalition for Healthy Minds (third document below). Please click the files to view our three singular and joint submissions.
NBHP submitted our own comments (first document below) as well as participated in a joint sign-on letter with RecoveryPeople (second document below). Finally, we participated in the creation of the recommendations of the Texas Coalition for Healthy Minds (third document below). Please click the files to view our three singular and joint submissions.
| nbhp_hhsc__lar_comments.docx.pdf |
| 2023_rco_hhsc_lar__1_.pdf |
| tchm_hhs_lar_26-27_overview.pdf |
NBHP's 88th Legislative Session Wrap-Up Guide and Q&A Discussion
Download our comprehensive 88th Legislative Session Wrap-Up Guide above.
NBHP's 88th Legislative Session - Wrap-Up and Q&A Panel Discussion ft. The Honorable State Senator Carol Alvarado, The Honorable State Representative Gene Wu, and The Honorable State Representative Jarvis Johnson.
The Amazing 102.5 FM, NAMI Greater Houston's Radio Show: Sydney Carter
Sydney Carter, Policy Program & Special Projects Manager at NBHP, was honored to speak about policy and legislative issues concerning behavioral health during the Texas Legislative Session on The Amazing 102.5 FM as a feature on NAMI's Radio Show. Thank you so much to NAMI and NAMI Greater Houston. Link to watch: https://youtu.be/feccr6IJv7o
88th Legislative Session
Please see NBHP's 88th Legislative Session Policy Platform above. The above document will indicate how NBHP participates in advocacy efforts during the legislative session, i.e. providing testimony, witness, alerts, and other forms of advocacy to mobilize the community to advance behavioral health care in Texas. Additionally, above, please see NBHP's Greater Houston Behavioral Health Legislative Forum One Pager.
Please see NBHP's 88th Legislative Session Bill Tracker, here. Pre-filing has begun, and bills will continue to be filed at the Texas Legislature from now until mid-March. NBHP updates the Bill Tracker daily and monitors any changes in bill movement. Please feel free to share the Tracker and utilize for yourself or for your organization during the session!
Please see NBHP's Budget Tracker. The document will be updated at the release of each version of the General Appropriations Bill.
Please see NBHP's 88th Legislative Session Bill Tracker, here. Pre-filing has begun, and bills will continue to be filed at the Texas Legislature from now until mid-March. NBHP updates the Bill Tracker daily and monitors any changes in bill movement. Please feel free to share the Tracker and utilize for yourself or for your organization during the session!
Please see NBHP's Budget Tracker. The document will be updated at the release of each version of the General Appropriations Bill.
Meet the Program Manager!
Sydney Carter, MPH, BBA
Sydney Carter now serves NBHP as the WREDI Program Manager, and has shifted from policy and advocacy work into behavioral health workforce development and education program management.
Sydney Carter served the Network of Behavioral Health Providers (NBHP) as the Policy Program & Special Projects Manager until March 2025. Immediately prior, she served as the Program & Policy Coordinator for NBHP. Prior to joining NBHP in July 2020 as The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, Mental Health Policy Fellow, Sydney completed her Master of Public Health program at The University of Texas (UTHealth) Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, with a focus in Healthcare Management. Before that, she graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a focus in Operations Management and a minor in Health Education.
Sydney has work experience in varying sectors, including: mental health and substance use, policy & legislative advocacy, cancer care, corporate wellness, information technology, business, education, and general fitness. Sydney is a passionate advocate for mental health and substance use access and policy change, especially in Texas, and also is a lifelong advocate for animal welfare in her personal life. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at the Houston SPCA, reading, exercising, traveling, being outdoors, and spending time with family, friends, and her 4-year-old-dog-who-is-still-a-puppy, Theo.
Sydney Carter now serves NBHP as the WREDI Program Manager, and has shifted from policy and advocacy work into behavioral health workforce development and education program management.
Sydney Carter served the Network of Behavioral Health Providers (NBHP) as the Policy Program & Special Projects Manager until March 2025. Immediately prior, she served as the Program & Policy Coordinator for NBHP. Prior to joining NBHP in July 2020 as The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, Mental Health Policy Fellow, Sydney completed her Master of Public Health program at The University of Texas (UTHealth) Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, with a focus in Healthcare Management. Before that, she graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a focus in Operations Management and a minor in Health Education.
Sydney has work experience in varying sectors, including: mental health and substance use, policy & legislative advocacy, cancer care, corporate wellness, information technology, business, education, and general fitness. Sydney is a passionate advocate for mental health and substance use access and policy change, especially in Texas, and also is a lifelong advocate for animal welfare in her personal life. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at the Houston SPCA, reading, exercising, traveling, being outdoors, and spending time with family, friends, and her 4-year-old-dog-who-is-still-a-puppy, Theo.
Sydney Carter at The Coalition for the Homeless of Houston's 2022 State of Homelessness Conference
Testifying is a Vital Piece of Effective Advocacy
Sydney Carter, NBHP's Mental Health Policy Fellow, testified on May 12, 2021 in favor of HB 4, which would expand access to telehealth services, at the Senate Health & Human Services committee.
Federal Advocacy
NBHP submitted comments to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee in 2021 in response to, "US Senate Finance Committee RFI: Strengthening Workforce, Increasing Integration, Coordination, and Access to Care, Expanding Telehealth, and Improving Access for Children and Young People. " View our comments here.
How a Bill Becomes a Law: NBHP & Alliance for Justice
Network of Behavioral Health Providers
9401 Southwest Freeway Suite #1242
Houston, TX 77074
Phone: 713-970-3410
9401 Southwest Freeway Suite #1242
Houston, TX 77074
Phone: 713-970-3410