Mental Health & Crisis Intervention

Since March 2020, our calls have increased 100% for our North Texas Crisis Line.  Many are facing unbearable distress. Our crisis intervention care has never been more critical to the North Txas community.In past years, we rarely received calls to our Crisis Line from young children. In recent years, we are noting a change.

A combat veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, "Jake" witnessed unspeakable horror including an IED that left him wearing the blood and brains of a fellow soldier on his uniform. Experiencing panic attacks, chest pains, claustrophobia and sleeplessness, at first, Jake thought he was having a heart attack. Going to sick call and cleared of a heart condition, he returned to combat. While these episodes continued throughout the rest of his second tour and for years thereafter, he denied what was happening to him.

I am a grieving mother. I'd heard of domestic violence; was a victim and a survivor. But never in my life did I even think that gun violence would impact my life - at least not directly.On February 8, 2000, both my 22 year old twin sons were working on a car in Oakland where they were employed and attended college; that is where they were both murdered by a killer using an A-K47 rifle. They were the 10th and 11th murders (2000).As an effort to cope, I doubled my caseload so that I could avoid facing my indescribable fears and heartaches.

Carly is nine years old. When she was five years old her abuse started. Carly told her third grade teacher that she was being abused. Carly’s teacher reported the abuse. The police brought Carly to Ralston House where she was able to tell the story of her abuse. By telling her story, the police were able to stop her abuse. Children, with stories like Carly, come to Ralston House every day where they find hope and safety.