NEWS — Hill Country MHDD opens clinic in Tony Faz County Annex

By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times

Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (MHDD) Centers opened a second clinic in Del Rio on Friday, Sept. 25.

Hill Country MHDD administrators and staff celebrated the event with a grand opening ceremony culminating in a ribbon cutting ceremony at the site of the new clinic, inside the Judge Antonio “Tony” Faz III County Annex complex at 315 E. Chapoy St.

County and city officials including County Court-At-Law Judge Sergio Gonzalez, Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez, County Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez, County Commissioner Pct. 3 Fernando Garcia, Justice of the Peace Pct. 1 Jesse James Trevino, Justice of the Peace Pct. 2 J. Randel Dissler, Justice of the Peace Pct. 4 Hilda Lopez, Constable Pct. 2 Daniel Reyes and City Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez attended the event, as well as a number of the sheriff’s office staff.

At the start of the ceremony, Gonzalez was invited to give the invocation, and following the prayer, Anthony Winn, Hill Country MHDD Centers senior director of mental health, welcomed those attending.

Winn said, “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be here with you today. . . What better time to do a ribbon cutting than at the end of Suicide Prevention Month? As we open a space to create more access to individuals needing care, it truly is an honor for us to be able to move into this space, partner with all the wonderful agencies located here and partner with the county to create more access to care for this community.

“Our mission statement is a very simple one: Caring people dedicated to quality service, and we are honored to be working with a community that we believe buys into that same mission statement. We couldn’t be more excited to work with you all. We couldn’t be more excited to be here, with everybody who has bought into this, and we’re looking forward to seeing how many lives we can positively impact alongside you all,” Winn said.

Winn asked Rachel Cedillo, Hill Country MHDD clinic director in Val Verde County, to speak.

Cedillo said Hill Country MHDD’s priority is the people its clinics serve, adding she is excited the new clinic is opening in an area of the community close to her heart.

Cedillo said, “We have a lot of people that reside over here in this part of Del Rio, and just the thought we can not only provide a service here, but there are other entities here (in the county annex) that our clients would also benefit from, for example the food pantry, the Action office. A lot of our clients need help with food, with paying for utilities, and so now, instead of just telling them that we’re located at 1927 N. Bedell Ave. (Hill Country’s first clinic in Del Rio), . . . We can now work with them and walk with them down to the food pantry or one of the other offices.

“I am also proud to be here because I grew up in this area, I am from Rubio Street, from Cuellar Street, the (Our Lady of) Guadalupe Church. The other thing is (some of) our patients struggle with transportation. . . they can’t afford it or they don’t have family members that can take them,” Cedillo said.

Cedillo said she worked with many of those attending the event, singling out the sheriff and his two chief deputies, Gina Garcia and Enrique Trevino, the judges, the justices of the peace and constables and the county commissioners.

“I want to give special thanks to Commissioner Vazquez. This started about a year ago, and for one reason or another, it was always delayed, but Commissioner Vazquez never gave up on us, and he would always smile and say, ‘We’re ready for you, Miss Rachel. Whenever you’re ready, we’re ready.’ . . I think our clients are really going to benefit,” Cedillo said.

Cedillo then invited Gonzalez to speak.

Gonzalez said, “Today we celebrate the expansion of hope, of care, an opportunity to individuals and families in need. These mental health

services are especially important in our rural communities, where distance, limited transportation and a shortage of providers can prevent people from receiving timely care.

“Bringing those services closer to home allows individuals to receive treatment before their needs become a crisis. The impact extends far beyond the person receiving care. Mental illness affects parents, spouses, children, grandparents, siblings and extended family members who often share the emotional and practical responsibility of supporting a loved one.

“When one person receives appropriate care, the entire family gains support, stability and hope. As a judge of 28 years, I have seen the value of mental health treatment as an alternative to incarceration, when legally appropriate and consistent with public safety. Treatment can address the underlying needs that may contribute to repeated crises or involvement with the justice system.

“It can also reduce the public cost associated with avoidable jail stays, emergency room visits, hospitalizations and repeated emergency responses. Investing in mental health services is not only compassionate, it is a responsibility. It strengthens individuals, preserves families, promotes public safety and makes wise use of our community resources.

“I want to thank the Val Verde County Commissioners Court, Commissioner Juan Carlos Vazquez for this facility, and I also want to extend to our community partners who made this satellite office possible. I also want to thank Mr. Tod Citron, who is chief Hill Country MHDD director; Ms. Rachel Cedillo, the local clinic director; and the staff and personnel. May it always be a place where people are treated with dignity, families find support, and no one faces their challenges alone,” Gonzalez finished.

Winn also invited Vazquez to speak to the audience.

Vazquez thanked his fellow county elected officials who attended the grand opening, and said, “I want to say how excited I am to have Hill Country MHDD here at the Judge Antonio ‘Tony’ Faz III County Annex. As a county commissioner, one of the things that I value the most is seeing services like this become accessible to the people in our community.

“Having Hill Country MHDD here means that people and families can have access to support whenever they need it, right here in our community. What I really appreciate about Hill Country MHDD is that your work is all about people. It’s about empowering people, fostering hope, supporting their choices and celebrating their successes, and I think those are values that every community can be really proud of.

“You understand that everyone’s situation is different, and sometimes, they just need someone to support them and someone to help them find a path forward. I also want to recognize the staff and everyone behind the scenes who makes all this work possible. Your commitment, your compassion and your dedication makes a difference in the lives of individuals and families every single day.

“So today, I just want to say welcome. We are so happy to have you here, and I am personally very excited about what this means for Val Verde County and the people we serve. Congratulations to Hill Country MHDD on this new chapter. We are proud to have you here at the Judge Antonio ‘Tony’ Faz County Annex. We look forward to seeing all the good that comes from this partnership,” Vazquez said.

Following the speeches, those attending the event joined Cedillo and members of the Del Rio Chamber of Commerce in cutting a red ribbon signifying the opening of the office.

Anyone seeking services at the new clinic is invited to call 877-460-0660.

The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.