Hogg Foundation Policy Briefs for 2021

The Hogg Foundation frequently releases policy briefs that provide context and recommendations for Texas policymakers as they work to strengthen mental health supports. These one-page policy briefs offer guidance and background on important issues related to criminal and juvenile justice, and gun violence.  Click on the boxes below for more information.

Addressing the Criminalization of Youth Mental Health

Youth behaviors stemming from unidentified mental health concerns, substance use, or trauma can be misunderstood as “bad” behavior, frequently leading to punitive practices in schools and communities. This policy brief provides recommendations for diverting youth from the justice system and directing them to services and supports.

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Extreme Risk Protection Orders

Easy access to firearms by dangerous individuals often leads to community gun violence, suicide, and trauma that create/exacerbate mental health conditions of Texans. This policy brief provides recommendations for implementing Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), one important tool in preventing gun violence.

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Raising the Age

Justice involvement bodes negatively on youth mental health. Too often, 10-, 11-, and 12-year-olds are placed in juvenile correctional facilities and 17-year-olds in the adult criminal justice system. Youth of color are disproportionately represented in these systems. This policy brief provides recommendations for raising the age of criminal and juvenile jurisdiction.

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Reducing Community Trauma through Criminal Background Checks

Easy access to firearms by dangerous individuals often leads to community gun violence, suicide, and trauma that create/exacerbate mental health conditions of Texans. This policy brief provides recommendations for reducing suicides and community trauma through expanded background checks for firearms purchases. 

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Suicide Prevention

Individuals with a diagnosed mental health condition are at higher risk of suicide, representing about 46 percent of suicide victims according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This policy brief lays out steps Texas could take to address the crisis. 

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