Del Rio luncheon to connect residents with mental health experts

A lunchtime gathering in central Del Rio will put mental health providers in the same room with residents, a small but practical step in a county where knowing where to go can matter as much as getting there. The Community Mental Health Awareness Luncheon is set for Thursday, May 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CDT at Border Federal Credit Union, 2211 N. Bedell Ave., in the community room.

The Del Rio Chamber of Commerce calendar says West Texas Counseling & Guidance will host the event, which will include conversation with mental health experts, a complimentary lunch, raffle giveaways and time to connect with neighbors and local resources. That format matters in a place like Val Verde County, where residents may need counseling, crisis help or a referral before a situation turns urgent. The event is aimed not just at people already seeking care, but also at families, employers, teachers, faith leaders and volunteers who may be the first to notice when someone is struggling.

The luncheon also lands during Mental Health Awareness Month, which Mental Health America founded in 1949 and has led every May since then. This year’s theme, “More Good Days, Together,” frames the month around prevention, stigma reduction and practical help. In Del Rio, that message intersects with a real access question: which local services are available, and how quickly can someone reach them when the need is immediate?

Val Verde Regional Medical Center lists mental health and psychiatry services in Del Rio, giving residents one local clinical option to contact at 830.778.3629. For crises, Texas Health and Human Services says help is available 24/7 and includes prompt face-to-face crisis assessment, crisis intervention, follow-up and relapse prevention. The state directs people in crisis to contact the local mental health or behavioral health authority for their county, or call or text 988.

Texas HHS says the state contracts with 37 local mental health authorities and two local behavioral health authorities to deliver services across Texas. For Val Verde County, that county-by-county system makes events like the luncheon more than a social stop. They serve as a way to connect residents with the names, numbers and pathways that can turn a question about mental health into a first step toward care.