Since 2012, Texas Health and Human Services has partnered with UT Health San Antonio’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences to deliver innovative, evidence-based, and promising practices to behavioral health professionals statewide. The Centralized Training Infrastructure (CTI) is dedicated to empowering the mental health and substance use workforce in Texas, serving adults, adolescents, and youth. Our multidisciplinary team brings together expertise in clinical psychology, public health, counseling, project management, information technology, and beyond—offering a dynamic, collaborative approach to everything we do.
We are driven by a shared passion for learning, excellence, and the positive impact of our work. With a commitment to quality and accessibility, CTI provides transformative training opportunities that help shape the future of behavioral health care in Texas.
Leadership
Project Coordinators
Administrative and IT Support
Centralized Training Infrastructure for Evidence-Based Practices (CTI-EBP) is part of UT Health San Antonio, a premier academic research center, whose mission is to make lives better through excellence in education, research, health care, and community engagement.
Natalie J Maples, DrPh, MA
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Principal Investigator on multiple projects focusing on dissemination of evidence-based practices. Dr. Maples' area of concentration is on implementation of psychosocial treatments and liaising with community mental health clinics, government agencies, and insurance administrators.
Desirée Castillo
Program Manager
Mrs. Castillo serves as the Evidence-Based Project (EBP) Program Manager in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. Over her 20-year career she has coordinated and managed numerous behavioral health projects. In her current role she provides day to day administration and management to multiple evidence-based training projects and eLearning websites.
Teresa Rendon
Administrative Assistant
Ms. Rendon serves as the Administrative Assistant in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. She is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Rendon provides support and assistance to the EBP team.
Kiley Hillner, MS
Project Coordinator
Mrs. Hillner serves as a Project Coordinator in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. Her M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling assists her in the coordination of various behavioral health projects. She is the project lead for the Substance Use Disorders contract with HHSC where she works with subject matter experts to provide trainings and resources to the SUD providers in Texas. Her responsibilities also include overseeing the MentalHealthTX Website, coordinating trainings and support for the HHSC Residential Treatment Center Project, and working with various subject matter experts to provide specialized technical assistance webinars on timely topics for the mental health providers of Texas.
Samuel Trevino
Financial Analyst
Mr. Trevino serves as Financial Analyst in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. He has his degree in Business Management with 14 years of experience in financial reporting. In his current role, he provides financial analysis on all federal and state funded projects.
Meredith L. Stensland, PhD, LMSW
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Principal Investigator on multiple projects focusing on animal assisted interventions for pain and depression in hemodialysis patients, as well as a qualitative study examining patient attitudes toward treatment adherence. Dr. Stensland works with the Mental Health Wellness for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (MHW-IDD) program, as well as serving as the Co-Project Director for the Disaster Behavioral Health project; this series of trainings is designed to help professionals in and around the Uvalde, TX community and is focused on trauma- and grief-informed evidence-based practices for children and adolescents. With funding from the University of Texas Kenneth I. Shine Academy of Health Science Education, she also created an e-course titled “Racial disparity in the context of pain management: Developing, administering, and evaluating an e-learning training curriculum to foster awareness and empathy in medical students" which targets medical school students and residents throughout Texas.
Bill Sanns
Faculty Specialist
Faculty Specialist in the Department of Population Health Sciences and Research Information Systems Division Leader. Mr. Sanns is an Air Force veteran with over 35 years of IT/IS experience with almost 25 of those specializing in clinical research and specialized data management operations.
Jorge Sanchez
Clinical Info Sys Analyst
Mr. Sanchez serves as the Clinical Information System Analyst in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. In his current role, Mr. Sanchez maintains several learning management systems (LMS), conducts data quality assurance, provides continual updates and development to multiple eLearning websites, is the liaison between stakeholders and vendors, and collaborates with the Program Manager and Coordinators in developing LMS system functionality, operating standards, policies, procedures, and training programs.
Aaron Anaya, MSW
Project Coordinator
Mr. Anaya serves as a Project Coordinator in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. He oversees the Substance Use Disorder project to include training, data management, and serves to increase educational opportunities to state funded substance use providers through regional coordinated trainings.
Juan Garcia
Technical Support Specialist
Mr. Garcia serves as the Technical Support Specialist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. In his current role, he provides technical support to training attendees via phone, email, or chat and conducts quality assurance or modules on multiple eLearning websites.
Bryna Nation, LMSW
Social Worker
Mrs. Nation is a Social Worker MSW in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. She serves as a clinical trainer across projects in various topics and Evidence-Based Practices related to trauma, substance use, and mental wellness. She also facilitates webinars, assists with the development of new trainings and eLearning modules, and coordinates various behavioral health projects including YES Waiver and Medical Director Conferences.
Leah Cochran, LMSW
Project Manager
Mrs. Leah Cochran serves as a Project Manager in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. Her MSSW in Social Work has assisted her in the coordination of various community-based behavioral health projects in her over 11-year career with UT Health. She is currently managing various aspects of the Peer Specialist and Family Partner initiative, where she coordinates many training opportunities to support the peer workforce in Texas.
D'Ana Dockery
Instructional Designer
Ms. Dockery serves as Instructional Designer in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. She has a degree in Human Resource Development with 7 years of Instructional Design experience. In her current role, she develops (designs, programs, and makes accessible) in-house eLearning modules.
Priscilla Cardona
Community Outreach Coordinator
Mrs. Cardona serves as a Community Outreach Coordinator in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. Her current role is serving as a liaison between the UT Health organization and state agencies, as well as facilitating monthly webinars and virtual/in-person workshops.
Cynthia Sierra, MS,LPC
Project Manager
Mrs. Sierra serves as a Project Manager in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. Over her 15-year career she has managed numerous behavioral health projects and has provided clinical services. In her current role, Mrs. Sierra manages Workforce Recruitment and Retention, Behavioral Health Awareness, Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management and training clinicians regionally.
Leticia Sanchez
Research Coordinator
Ms. Sanchez serves as Research Coordinator in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. In her current role she provides administrative and financial support for multiple grants and contracts.
Yezenia Beltran
Project Coordinator
Ms. Beltran serves as Project Coordinator in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. In her current role, she coordinates the Housing and Disaster Behavioral Health projects.
Texas Health and Human Services (HHS)
HHS Vision and Mission
Making a difference in the lives of the people we serve. Improving the health, safety and well-being of Texans with good stewardship of public resources.
Adult Mental Health (AMH)
HHSC promotes the training and implementation of evidence-based practices to best serve communities across the state. The Adult Mental Health Services Team supports providers in guiding individuals through recovery and towards their goals.
https://hhs.texas.gov/services/mental-health-substance-use/adult-mental-health
Disaster Behavioral Health
Disaster behavioral health (DBH) addresses the psychological, emotional, cognitive, developmental and social impacts that disasters, emergencies or incidents have on survivors and first responders as they respond and recover. HHSC’s Disaster Behavioral Health Services primary functions and activities are as follows: (1) supports, coordinates, and collaborates disaster cycle efforts (planning, response and recovery) through the 39 local mental health and behavioral health authorities (LMHA/LBHAs) to provide DBH to impacted communities throughout the state; (2) apply for and manage federal grants including the Crisis Counseling Program and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Emergency Response Grant, following federally declared disasters; (3) serve as the liaison and subject matter expert for state and federal resources designed for DBH response and recovery.
https://www.hhs.texas.gov/about/process-improvement/improving-services-texans/behavioral-health-services/disaster-behavioral-health-services
Children’s Mental Health (CMH)
CMH program promotes the resiliency and recovery of children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance, and their families through evidenced based approaches in the community.
https://hhs.texas.gov/services/mental-health-substance-use/childrens-mental-health
Crisis Services
The Crisis Services Unit provides oversight of an array of crisis programs consisting of crisis hotlines, mobile crisis outreach teams (MCOTs), mental health deputies (MHDs), crisis facilities, and inpatient psychiatric beds. Crisis Services are available 24 hours/7 days a week (24/7) and include prompt face-to-face crisis assessment, crisis intervention services, and crisis follow-up and relapse prevention services.
The unit also oversees statewide forensic and jail diversion programs and initiatives, such as outpatient and jail-based competency restoration programs, and community programs funded through the Mental Health Grant for Justice-Involved Individuals.
Mental Health Crisis Services | Texas Health and Human Services
Home and Community Based Services-Adult Mental Health (HCBS-AMH)
HCBS-AMH is a statewide program that provides mental health and substance use recovery services for eligible adults with serious mental illness. The services are provided at the person’s home or where they live.
https://hhs.texas.gov/services/mental-health-substance-use/adult-mental-health/adult-mental-health-home-community-based-services
Housing
The HHSC Adult Mental Health Services Team works with UTHSA to provide HHSC contractors opportunities to learn about best practices in supporting people with mental health conditions in obtaining and maintaining housing. A supportive housing learning community provides targeted, interactive learning opportunities for local mental health/behavioral health authorities.
Adult Mental Health Housing | Texas Health and Human Services
Office of the Medical Directors for Behavioral Health Services (OMD)
HHSC Office of the Medical Directors for Behavioral Health Services (OMD) supports and liaisons with local medical and nursing directors. The OMD team partners with CTI to offer evidence-based trainings to medical and nursing directors.
Substance Use Services
HHSC supports an array of substance use services for adults and youth seeking recovery through prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery support services. Substance use services meet the person where they are and coordinate care for the best possible outcome. Since substance use disorders affect people from all backgrounds and age groups, there are a variety of services available that promote stability along a person’s treatment and recovery journey.
Workforce Recruitment and Retention
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Office of Mental Health Coordination partners with UTHSCSA to develop strategies for local mental health authorities/local behavioral health authorities (LMHAs/LBHAs) to address behavioral health workforce challenges related to 988 implementation and sustainability. Training sessions to recruit and retain the behavioral health workforce are essential in addressing the ongoing workforce shortage.
YES Waiver
The YES waiver provides intensive services to children and youth with serious mental, emotional, and behavioral difficulties. The services are delivered within a strengths-based team planning process called wraparound, which builds on family and community support and utilizes YES services to help build a family’s natural support network and connection with their community. YES services are family-centered, coordinated and effective at preventing out-of-home placement and promoting lifelong independence and self-defined success.
https://hhs.texas.gov/services/mental-health-substance-use/childrens-mental-health/yes-waiver
ctihelp@uthscsa.edu
(210) 567-5530