A local nonprofit is joining forces with the Marble Falls Independent School District to provide students with free mental health support and counseling during the 2026-27 school year.

The Phoenix Center, based in Marble Falls, is contributing more than $100,000 in therapy services to the district, including individual counseling, group counseling, equine therapy, and team-building sessions.

According to the district, the Phoenix Center’s services will help ease financial burdens on students in need of a helping hand.

“The contribution is significant as Texas public schools navigate substantial financial pressures while striving to meet increasingly complex student needs,” reads a statement on the partnership. “Last year, Phoenix Center’s mental health professionals spent more than 3,000 hours with over 400 Marble Falls ISD students in proven programs.”

MFISD Superintendent Dr. Jeff Gasaway reinforced the value of the Phoenix Center’s support, noting that its partnership with the district has never been more important.

“These services give our students access to caring professionals and specialized support to overcome challenges, remain engaged in school, and experience success both in the classroom and in life,” he said. “We remain committed to serving the whole child, but right now we cannot do that work alone. Phoenix Center is helping us preserve valuable services for students at a time when every dollar matters.”

More on the Phoenix Center

The Phoenix Center was founded in 2007 with a mission to provide trauma-informed counseling and mental health care to children ages 2-18 and their families. The organization serves multiple rural counties in the area that have been designated as having shortages of mental health professionals.

The nonprofit expanded its operations in 2022 through an 8,000-square-foot counseling center, and further in 2025 by adding equine therapy facilities to its 77-acre campus in Horseshoe Bay.

caden@thepicayune.com