About VSC

Chartered in 1969 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization, the Volunteer Services Council (VSC) provides the hospital with goods and in-kind services to benefit patients and hospital programs that cannot be supported by state appropriated funds.The VSC’s  members are persons who volunteer because of their personal experience, interest and concern for persons with mental illness. Their fund-raising efforts support Recovery and treatment plan programs, a Special Friends program for indigent patients’ personal needs, birthday and Christmas gifts, supplies for recreational programs  and a variety of other hospital and patient needs.
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Our goals are to raise awareness about mental illness, provide funding support, and to contribute to the quality of life of individuals with mental illness served by Kerrville State Hospital.

About Mental Illness

• About 1 in 4 adults or approximately 61.5 million Americans experience mental  illness in a given year.
• Four of the 10 leading causes of disability in the U.S. and other developed countries are mental disorders — major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective  disorder. Many people have more than one mental disorder at a given time.
• Science-based information proves that "severe mental illnesses" are brain disorders that can be treated and managed effectively if an individual has access to a combination of medication, supportive counseling and community support services, including education and vocational training.
• By educating and informing the public, employers and policy makers, a higher value will be placed on recovery and the quality of life that a person with a severe mental illness can achieve.

If you wish to learn more about mental illness you can visit: www.namitexas.org