A Message from Our CEO
Scaling New Heights in Mental Wellness
Thanks for exploring the Andrews Behavioral Health website. Being fairly new to our beloved east Texas, I often find folks still unaware of our 55-year calling and mission. Perhaps today, that is you?
If so, please take the opportunity to discover who we are and what we do. Largely funded by taxpayers like yourself, we delight in your understanding our calling. Our programs are highly diversified, evidence-based, and available to those who are qualified. We are accountable to a volunteer, citizen-based board of trustees who, like you, care about those needing behavioral health services.
Recently, have adopted a new rallying cry – “We are moving mountains, come join us!” In our field of expertise, mental health and IDD needs often outpace the availability of resources. To accomplish our mission fully, we cannot do it alone.
So we ask, would you join with us in making a difference – either as a team member, an intern, a donor, or as an engaged community member who wants to better advocate for future healthcare access and outcomes?
I look forward to meeting you in person. Please call 903-597-1351 or email me at [email protected] to set a meeting time.
I look forward to hearing your ideas and working together to provide hope and health. Some of the best voices are those that come from folks – who were once our clients – who now enjoy a new quality of life, one that we all deserve. “Lived experiences” of resiliency abound. Smiles do return. Having a newfound quality of life is within reach of all who want it.
So today, again – we welcome your exploration and friendship.
Lynn Rutland
CEO, Andrews Center
Leadership:
Our executive team
collaborates daily
Our executive team doesn’t just talk about the importance of working as a team. They make sure every week gets started with collaboration at a Monday morning executive leadership team meeting. Every department and facility and Andrews Behavioral Health is represented, and each gets a chance to share what’s going on in their particular area.
Our leaders have an open-door policy. Any team member is not only welcomed but invited to keep the lines of communication open. Our promise is always to listen and learn.
Andrews Behavioral Health:
Lifting the Standards of Care
Since 1968, Andrews Behavioral Health has been a trailblazer in mental and behavioral health care, helping individuals overcome obstacles and reach new summits in their wellness journey. We serve five East Texas counties—Henderson, Smith, Rains, Wood, and Van Zandt—through a network of 25 service locations, including outpatient clinics, rehabilitation facilities, and group homes. Our main administrative office and primary clinic are located in Tyler, Texas, with additional clinics in Athens, Canton, Emory, and Mineola.
As a nonprofit Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), we offer an even broader range of mental health and substance use services. This certification reflects our commitment to providing accessible, high-quality care that empowers individuals to overcome obstacles and thrive in their communities.
We are also the designated Local Mental Health Authority for East Texas. This means we not only provide care for underserved populations of five counties, but we also serve as a catalyst for bringing together all service providers and non-profit agencies in the treatment of mental illness and its related challenges.
No matter your background, we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve mental well-being, and we offer care without discrimination based on race, gender, age, religion, or ability.
Walking
Beside You on Your Journey
At Andrews Behavioral Health, we understand that the path to mental wellness can be steep and challenging. That’s why we walk beside you, offering support, expertise, and care. Our highly trained team includes psychiatrists, counselors, case managers, and peer specialists—professionals dedicated to helping you conquer life’s toughest mountains and reach new personal heights. With the support of more than 350 individuals across five counties, we are a cohesive team dedicated to improved mental healthcare for our region.
Our Guiding Principles:
Climbing Together with Compassion
Our approach to care is grounded in principles that ensure each individual receives the personalized support they need:
- Close to Home: We provide care within the community, minimizing disruption to your daily life while offering local support.
- Least Restrictive Care: We believe in fostering independence and delivering care that allows for as much personal freedom as possible.
- Tailored to You: We focus on individualized care, ensuring that each person feels understood and supported.
- Respect and Dignity: We serve everyone with the respect and compassion they deserve, helping you feel seen, valued, and capable of scaling any mountain.
Our Mission:
Moving Mountains for Mental Wellness
Our mission is clear: to provide and coordinate high-quality, integrated healthcare services that empower individuals in East Texas to achieve greater independence and mental well-being. We’re here to promote hope, growth, and positive change—helping you reach new heights in your mental health journey.
Our Vision: Elevating Lives, One Step at a Time
We envision a future where mental health challenges are no longer mountains too steep to climb. Our goal is to promote lasting hope and positive change, creating a community where individuals can thrive today and for generations to come.
Our Core Values: Guiding Us on Every Ascent
Our values shape our approach to care, ensuring that we offer the highest level of support as we climb together:
• Dignity and Worth:Every individual is treated with the respect they deserve.
• Excellence: We aim for the highest standards of care, always striving to reach new peaks.
• Character, Competence, and Care: These qualities define our team’s commitment to supporting you.
• Support for Each Other: We believe in lifting one another up as a team, just as we lift up our clients.
• Ethics, Honesty, and Integrity: We operate with transparency and integrity, ensuring trust at every step.
Our Origins:
A Vision of Elevation in
Mental Health
Our roots stretch back to President John F. Kennedy’s groundbreaking Community Mental Health Act of 1963. This act was one of the final executive directives proposed by President Kennedy before his assassination. Mental health was close to the President’s heart due to his sister experiencing behavioral health decencies. The act aimed to elevate the standard of care by shifting from large, isolated institutions to community-based centers where individuals could receive care while staying connected to their communities.
History and Governance:
A Steady Climb to Excellence
Originally known as the Smith-Wood County Mental Health Mental Retardation Center, Andrews Behavioral Health expanded to serve five counties in 1974. Governed by a nine-member board of community leaders, we remain committed to promoting dignity, well-being, and independence for all.
Our board is a committed and diverse group of leaders who are devoted to the Andrews mission. These men and women give their time and expertise to guide us as we climb new paths to promote enhanced mental healthcare in our region:
2024-2025 Board of Trustees
Board of Trustees Officers
Chair – Keith Youngblood
Vice Chair – Dr. Beverly Waddleton
Secretary/Treasurer – Mary Hall
Board Members
Place 1 – Smith County
Ms. Brittney Nichols
Place 2 – Smith County
Mr. Keith Youngblood
Place 3 – Smith County
Mr. Richard Blake
Place 4 – Wood County
Dr. Beverly Waddleton
Place 5 – Henderson County
Mr. Arlis Jones
Place 6 – Van Zandt County
Judge Andy Reese
Place 7 – Rains County
Ms. Mary Hall
Place 8 – At Large
Lt. John Shoemaker, Tyler Police Department (Smith County)
Place 9 – At-Large
Ms. JoAnn Hampton (Smith County)
Join Us:
Moving Mountains Together
To see a list of projects Andrews is actively engaging in bringing to fruition, please open this .pdf to see how we have set our sights on new paths of progress in expanding our region’s behavioral health opportunities.
Remember that we always looking for dedicated individuals to join us in making a difference. Through internships, joining our advisory council or making a career with us, , you can be part of a team that helps us scale new heights in our mental health journey.
We also invite you to connect with us by signing up for updates in the footer below —we promise to keep you informed without overwhelming you!