ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) – Texas Tech Health Science Center has a big plan. They want to expand their psychiatry services and become a leading mental health hub in the country.
The center is aiming to partner with the upcoming Permian Basin Behavioral Health Center. This partnership could help keep more psychiatrists in the area, providing essential care to those in need.
Texas Tech is in talks with the Midland Development Corporation to secure funding. The goal is to enhance services and create new job opportunities in the region.
Professor Timothy Benton, the Regional Dean of Texas Tech Health Science Center, shared his vision for the future. “We see many possibilities for delivering various types of care and expanding fellowship training,” he said.
Since 2018, the number of patients in Texas Tech outpatient clinics has grown steadily. To meet this demand, the center has brought in specialists to enhance their psychiatric program. This development aims to improve mental health care, expand training, and offer new treatment options, including studies focused on children.
Benton noted, “We are creating opportunities for people to seek help. A lot of this outreach is happening through telehealth, allowing us to connect with those who can’t travel for treatment.”
The center also plans to reach out to rural clinics to emphasize the importance of mental health care.
Moreover, Texas Tech hopes to grow its residency program significantly, from 16 to 40 spots. Currently, the psychiatry program takes in 10 learners a year, but they hope to increase this number. If approved, they anticipate expanding to 8 residents this July, with a possibility of reaching 10 in the future.
Benton believes this expansion could attract more people to the Permian Basin. “We aim to establish a center for research that could draw national attention in the years ahead,” he explained.
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