By Karyn Brodsky
Knowledge is indeed a form of power, especially when it comes to understanding mental health issues and preventing suicides among children, adolescents, and young adults. It is crucial for families to be educated on how to identify when their loved ones are in distress and to seek proper assistance.
This realization struck the Halliburton family after the tragic loss of their son, Grant, a Dallas teenager who had been grappling with depression and bipolar disorder for years, when he took his life in 2005 at just 19 years old.
Rather than allowing Grant to be merely a statistic in the mental health crisis, his family, particularlyVanita Halliburton, sought to celebrate his talents as an artist, writer, and musician. The family’s determination to honor Grant’s legacy while providing the resources that they had lacked was the driving force behind establishing the Grant Halliburton Foundation in 2006.
The Foundation provides a range of education initiatives, workshops, and an annual mental health conference that addresses important topics like suicide prevention, identifying depression, stress management, resilience-building, and essential coping strategies for youth mental health.
Among the educational programs available for both young individuals and adults are courses such as Building Blocks of Mental Health, Managing Stress and Anxiety, Depression and Suicide Prevention, Road to Resilience, The Teenage Brain: A Work in Progress, and Setting Healthy Boundaries. Additionally, the Building Blocks series for adults includes Stress and Anxiety Management: Supporting Youth, Depression and Suicide Prevention, Understanding the Teen Brain, Mental Health 101, and Increasing Mental Wellness in the Workplace.
Thrive, the Foundation’s holistic mental health initiative, aims to embed mental health awareness within the educational system, as stated on their website (GrantHalliburton.org). It encompasses student education, adult training, research efforts, support services, warning sign recognition, screening, and early intervention within schools. The Foundation collaborates with more than 175 educational institutions to enhance the mental health resources available to students through partnerships like Hope Squad and telebehavioral health services.
For mothers and female caregivers of children dealing with mental health challenges, the Foundation hosts Coffee Days peer support groups that foster community and encouragement. The recently launched Charlas con un Cafecito, a Spanish-language support group, began in 2023.
As noted byStephanie McGary,LPC-S, RPT-S, the Director of Mental Health Education, the Grant Halliburton Foundation is dedicated to strengthening mental health resources available for children, teenagers, and young adults to enhance overall mental well-being and reduce the risk of suicide.
“The demand for mental health knowledge and resources has reached a critical point,” she emphasizes. “At the Grant Halliburton Foundation, we are committed to addressing this need with initiatives that are genuinely transformative and life-saving. We engage with schools and communities throughout North Texas, equipping individuals with the skills to recognize the signs of distress and provide support. Our various educational programs, presentations, and annual conference touch on vital subjects such as mental wellness, suicide prevention, anxiety management, coping abilities, resilience, and other pressing matters relevant to youth mental health.”
“The demand for mental health knowledge and resources has reached a critical point,” she emphasizes. “At the Grant Halliburton Foundation, we are committed to addressing this need with initiatives that are genuinely transformative and life-saving.”
Stephanie McGary,LPC-S, RPT-S, Director of Mental Health Education, Grant Halliburton Foundation
Since its inception in 2006, the Grant Halliburton Foundation has trained over 325,000 individuals, including students, teachers, parents, and professionals, to recognize signs of emotional distress and offer assistance to those in crisis. “Our mission is centered on increasing accessibility to mental health support and fostering a more knowledgeable community across Texas,” explains McGary. “To aid this goal, we established HereForTexas.com, an online resource directory encompassing mental health and addiction services throughout North Texas, alongside the Here For Texas Mental Health Navigation Line. These complimentary tools serve as valuable resources for Texans seeking information on mental health and addiction.”
As a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist, McGary specializes in helping families navigate trauma. She recognizes that mental health experiences vary widely across cultures and is dedicated to ensuring that both children and adults feel safe and supported. This focus aligns perfectly with the mission of Grant Halliburton Foundation.
“I believe that you don’t need to be a licensed therapist to have a therapeutic impact. Compassionate individuals armed with the appropriate knowledge of mental health and available resources can significantly influence someone’s life path. Our goal at Grant Halliburton Foundation is to increase the number of individuals, regardless of age, in Texas who are equipped to support others during mental health challenges,” McGary states.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2020 data indicates that suicide ranks as the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 10 to 24 nationwide. In Texas, one in eight high school students report having attempted suicide in the previous year—a rate double the national average (CDC statistics). On a daily basis, Texas sees an average of one teen suicide, with the Dallas-Fort Worth area reporting a loss of two teens each week.
The Grant Halliburton Foundation hopes that through their education, programs, resources, and support, they can assist children, adolescents, and young adults grappling with mental health challenges to obtain the help they require and ultimately change these alarming statistics.
Join the Grant Halliburton Foundation for an uplifting discussion on hope and recovery with Drew Robinson at the Beacon of Hope Luncheon
Drew Robinson, a former Major League Baseball player, mental health advocate, and professional speaker, shares his journey of resilience and recovery. Following a successful career in baseball, having been drafted by the Texas Rangers, Drew became an advocate for mental health awareness after surviving a suicide attempt in 2020, which shifted his purpose toward helping others and breaking the stigma associated with mental health.
Using the mantra, Strength Isn’t Always Physical, Drew aims to spread awareness about mental health issues and the importance of vulnerability in the fight against suicide. He currently collaborates with the San Francisco Giants in their mental health and wellness division, advocating for the mental well-being of players as well as fostering a supportive community.
This inspiring event will take place on March 25, 2025, at the Omni Dallas Hotel, starting at 11 AM.
Tickets are available for $225, and sponsorships start at $3000.
Click here for Tickets and/or Sponsorship Details.
By the Numbers
What accounts for the rising prevalence of mental health challenges among youth?
Insights from data provided by the CDC, the U.S. Surgeon General, The Jed Foundation, and others reveal that today’s youth encounter unprecedented challenges, such as:
• Nearly half of teens report being online “almost constantly”
• Young people aged 15-24 spend significantly less time socializing with peers compared to their counterparts two decades ago, leading to increased feelings of isolation
• Reports of childhood depression and anxiety symptoms have nearly doubled since the Covid-19 pandemic
• Approximately 60% of youth aged 16-25 express high levels of concern regarding climate issues
• Three out of five college students experience essential needs insecurity, including challenges related to housing and food, and often lack access to affordable healthcare
• A significant 60% of youths affected by major depression do not receive any treatment due to lack of access to care
These concerns affect youth universally, with even more troubling statistics noted among communities of color, LGBTQ+ youth, those living in rural regions, and young women.
Here For Texas
In response to the urgent need for mental health education and resources, the Grant Halliburton Foundation developed Here For Texas, which provides two invaluable community resources.
HereForTexas.com is a bilingual website featuring a searchable database of mental health and addiction resources available in North Texas, designed to assist residents in finding necessary support.
In 2019, the Foundation also introduced the Here For Texas Mental Health Navigation Line, creating the first helpline of its kind in North Texas. This free service offers specialized assistance in locating providers and resources tailored to individual needs. In the past five years, the helpline has supported over 2,500 callers, with real individuals answering calls to provide pertinent information, ensuring follow-up on the access to services.
Click Here for Additional Resources provided by the Grant Halliburton Foundation
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline is available to anyone facing mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use issues, or those simply needing someone to talk to. Help is within reach.
