The Harris Center’s workforce is the backbone of mental health and IDD services in Harris County. The programs our neighbors rely on—crisis response, outpatient care, IDD services, jail diversion programs, ACT teams, school based and early childhood services, residential supportive living, chemical dependency recovery programs, peer support, and more—are only possible because of skilled, committed workers that show up every day.

We are deeply concerned by the extensive layoffs that have occurred and are planned in the next year due to government budget cuts and gaps in funding. These cuts disrupt care, increase wait times, and push more people into crisis—costing our county more in the long run and undermining the safety net.

We, the undersigned, call on Executive Management and the The Harris Center Board to take immediate action to protect our jobs and our community:

We are Petitioning to:
1. Save every job that can possibly be saved: Exhaust all alternatives to layoffs to keep services stable and clients/workers safe.

2. Harris Center management has made some steps in transitioning workers affected by layoffs but we want to assure adequate severance for positions that cannot be saved: If some layoffs prove unavoidable, provide a meaningfully, stronger severance package which includes
- At least 12 weeks of notice, for employee to search for replacement employment while employed with The Harris Center
- Opportunity for recall/rehire at The Harris Center during notice of layoff and for 12 months following with priority hiring status
- Proactive notice of all suitable Harris Center openings, and one-on-one assistance identifying and applying for roles the worker qualifies for, for up to 12 months after layoff.
- Direct help completing unemployment applications (and any follow-up steps) so workers can access benefits without delay
- Scheduled trainings, career coaching, job-search assistance, and hands-on resume/cover letter/interview support
- Deliver layoff decisions in person; if not possible, by phone—not by email or text alone. Provide plain-language written details on severance, benefits (including PTO cash outs), rehire/recall options, and a named contact for support.
- Award six months of active employee healthcare coverage to the employees who have been laid off for six months, if employees are unemployed for longer than six months, The Harris Center pays half of COBRA coverage.

3. Build real financial stability—together with the community: Publish a clear, time-bound plan to strengthen Harris Center’s finances, reduce inefficient overhead and protect frontline services now and in the future. Collaborate openly with UWHC, employees, county and city leadership, state partners, hospital systems, managed care plans, philanthropy, and other funders to close gaps without cutting care, and report progress publicly.

Why This Matters
- Clients first: Workforce cuts mean fewer appointments, longer waitlists, and more ER, jail, and shelter encounters—exactly what our community is trying to prevent.

- Fiscal sense: Preventive, community-based care saves money and lives. Keeping teams intact avoids costly turnover, retraining, and service interruptions.

- Dignity for workers: The people who carry this mission deserve stability, fair treatment, and a path forward.

Harris County deserves a strong local mental health and IDD authority, which they have in the workers at The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD. We urge leadership to meet these reasonable, urgent demands so we can keep essential services whole, protect workers, and safeguard our community.