Mental Health Resources in Kaufman County

In a fast-growing community like Forney, it’s easy to assume support systems lag behind growth. However, when it comes to mental health, that assumption doesn’t hold up.

Behind the scenes, a network of crisis responders, counselors, hospitals, nonprofits, and volunteers is working every day—often 24/7—to ensure that no one in Kaufman County has to face their worst moment alone.

In many cases, help is just a phone call—or even a text—away.

At the forefront is the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a nationwide system that connects callers immediately to trained counselors. It’s free, confidential, and available around the clock.

Locally, the safety net runs even deeper.

From the NTBHA Living Room, which helps stabilize people in crisis and connect them to treatment, to the Mobile Crisis Outreach Team, which can respond directly in urgent situations, Kaufman County has built a system designed to intervene early—and often save lives.

And it’s not just crisis care.

Across Forney, Kaufman, Terrell, and surrounding communities, families can access a variety of services, from same-day mental health assessments for teens at Basepoint Academy (Forney), to inpatient psychiatric care at facilities like Medical City Green Oaks and Hickory Trail Hospital, as well as long-term counseling options for children, couples, and individuals navigating trauma, anxiety, or addiction.

There are also services many families may not realize exist—equine therapy programs, grief support groups, addiction recovery networks, and counseling specifically designed for children who have experienced abuse.

It’s a system built not just to respond to crises—but to prevent them.

Still, one of the biggest barriers isn’t availability. It’s awareness.

That’s something Jennifer Russell, MS, LPC, who coordinates mental health court initiatives at the Kaufman County Justice Center, sees every day.

“The reality is, help is here—but too many people don’t discover it until they’re already in crisis. Our goal is to change that. This community has built a system that can catch people early, stabilize them, and walk with them through recovery. But it starts with one step—reaching out. And when they do, they’re not alone.”

That first step looks different for everyone.

For some, it’s a parent calling about a struggling teenager. For others, it’s someone quietly texting a hotline at 2 a.m. For many, it’s scheduling that first counseling appointment after putting it off for months—or years.

Increasingly, families are navigating not just mental health, but the overlap with addiction, housing instability, or domestic violence—areas where Kaufman County also offers targeted support through shelters, recovery programs, and community organizations.

The message from professionals across the system is consistent:

You don’t have to wait until things get “bad enough.”

Help isn’t a last resort. It’s a resource—one that exists right now, right here in this community.