Director, Access
The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD
Houston, Texas
Jennifer Battle, MSW
Jennifer is the Director of Access at The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD in Houston, Texas. Jennifer oversees The Harris Center Behavioral Health and IDD Access Hub which includes the Crisis Line (serving 39 Texas Counties), Access Line and statewide COVID Mental Health Support Line. The Access Hub is also the regional provider of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, soon to be 988 serving over 50 Texas counties. Jennifer also oversees the Southeast Texas Regional Suicide Care Support Center and The Harris Center Community Outreach Department. In collaboration with the Houston Police Department, Houston Fire Department, and Houston Emergency Communications Center, she leads the 911 Crisis Call Diversion Program, the first program of its kind in the US. Jennifer is also proud to lead the implementation team for the agency’s Zero Suicide initiative and serves as an advisory council member on the Mayor’s Challenge to Prevent Veteran Suicide.
In addition to her work at The Harris Center, Jennifer serves on the Board of the National Association of Crisis Organization Directors (NASCOD). She is the Co-Chair of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Steering Committee and is working with leaders in Texas and across the nation on the implementation of 988 which will go live in July 2022.
Jennifer is a proud Social Worker who works from a lens of social justice, equity and inclusion and is a adjunct faculty at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. She is best reached via email at Jennifer.battle@theharriscenter.org or on Twitter @Battle4Justice.
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Monday, April 11, 2022
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
