About | Irving Behavioral Health Symposium 2026

Empowering Mental & Behavioral Health

The Behavioral Health Symposium, sponsored by the Irving Hispanic Community Forum and Irving ISD, brings together community members, citizens, leaders, and agencies to collaborate across all communities. This event is not just for one group—it’s for everyone in our community who believes that mental and behavioral health are essential to overall well-being. The goal is to build an integrated ecosystem where local agencies, schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations collaborate to share resources, coordinate services, and ensure that no individual falls through the cracks.

Our Role

"Building a Connected Ecosystem for Behavioral Health in Irving"

Event Schedule

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2026 Symposium Speakers

John W. Burruss, MD

Dr. John Burruss is the Chief Executive Officer of Metrocare Services, the public safety-net for Mental Healthcare and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities for Dallas County and one of the largest providers of these services in the country. Metrocare completes over 3200 clinical encounters every day with a staff of nearly 1200 employees and an annual budget exceeding $170 million. More than 90% of Metrocare’s clients are under or uninsured and over 80% identify as People of Color. Metrocare is also the largest provider of permanent supported housing in Dallas, helping to address a crucial need in this population.

Before joining Metrocare, Dr. Burruss spent 17 years at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in Houston where he served in several roles, including Executive Medical Director for Affiliates, Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer. Clinically, Dr. Burruss has been a practicing psychiatrist on the medical staff at Ben Taub Hospital in Houston and Parkland in Dallas.

Dr. Burruss earned his M.D. and completed psychiatric residency at BCM after a bachelors in Biochemistry from The University of Texas at Austin. He has also trained at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine and the Harvard School of Public Health. He is a Professor of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern and a Fellow of the American College of Psychiatrists.

Dr. Walter Taylor, Ph D, FACHE

Dr. Walter Taylor currently serves as the Chief Strategy Officer for the North Texas Behavioral Health Authority under the leadership of Carol Lucky, CEO. In this role, he works with the senior leadership team to plan and provide NTHBA’s behavioral health services in the six-county region of Dallas, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, and Rockwall. Dr. Taylor also serves in a part-time capacity as an adjunct professor of business and political science at Paul Quinn College.

Throughout his career, Dr. Taylor has served in the public behavioral health sector and in pastoral ministry. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from Oklahoma Christian University, a Master of Arts in History and Theology from Abilene Christian University, a Master of Public Administration, and a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Public Policy from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is also board-certified in Healthcare Management and is now a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Last, but certainly not least, he is blessed to be the father of four adult children and grandfather of six grandchildren.

Sejal S. Mehta, MD MBA

Dr. Sejal Mehta is a passionate physician, an impactful motivational speaker, astute businesswoman, visionary leader, and a humble community servant.

Dr. Sejal Mehta has been a fellowship-trained, Triple board-certified psychiatric physician for the last 25 years. She has been honored to work with children, adolescents, adults, and senior adults at multiple psychiatric facilities in DFW. She is the president of Psychiatric Medical Associates in Plano and the Medical Director at several facilities. She has been a principal investigator for 70+ clinical pharmaceutical research trials.

Dr. Mehta was born and raised, and attended medical school in Ahmadabad, India. After getting married, she moved to the United States in the early 1990’s, where she did her residency and fellowship in Psychiatry at the University of Kansas Medical Center, and where she went on to become board-certified in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry. After moving to DFW in 2004, she pursued her Executive MBA from Southern Methodist University and started her own medical practice. In 2015, She Got Board certification in Addiction Medicine. Dr. Mehta has been married to Dr Saumil Mehta for 34 years and has two talented children.

Meagan Wittner, Social Worker, At-Risk and Responsive Services - Irving Independent School District

Meagan Wittner, LMSW, is a Social Worker for the At-Risk and Responsive Services Department at Irving Independent School District. She works at the district level to address the complex needs of Irving ISD students, and she oversees the Handle With Care program in partnership with the Irving Police Department. She also works to connect students of all ages with appropriate and accessible resources within the greater Irving community. She will be sharing about the impactful work that Irving ISD is doing to help promote mental well-being for students, families, and staff across the district.

Antonia Hernandez, MS, LPC, LMFT

Antonia Hernandez is a bilingual, dually licensed professional counselor (LPC) and licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) in the state of Texas. Antonia is certified in the evidence-based modality of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), but utilizes a variety of theories including Bowen Family Systems Theory, Non-Directive and Directive Play Therapy, and TF-CBT in her work. Antonia has been with the Irving Family Advocacy Center’s counseling department since 2019. Antonia has a passion for serving diverse communities and residents of Irving. Antonia’s experience has allowed for extensive work in complex trauma, family disruption, child abuse, and play related therapy.

Dr. Mildred Betancourt

Dr. Mildred Betancourt leads the City of Irving’s Public Safety Wellness Unit, driving programs that enhance safety, wellness, and resilience for first responders and their families. She served as the Peer Support Coordinator for the Irving Police Peer Support Program (2016) and PSWU (2021), earning national recognition in 2023 for innovative wellness initiatives.

With 15+ years of experience in trauma, PTSD, and victim services, Dr. Betancourt holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and certifications in CBT, EMDR, Trauma-Informed Care, Biofeedback, HeartMath, and CISM. Her background includes roles in Puerto Rico’s Correctional System, the Irving Family Advocacy Center, and adjunct teaching. She actively supports the Hispanic community through workshops and training.

Dinorah Peña-Durán

Holds a degree in Communication Sciences from Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara and brings over 40 years of experience in media, education, and language services. She serves as Translator and Interpreter for Irving Independent School District and is also a writer, published author, freelance Spanish translator, proofreader, and audiobook narrator with more than 25 years of professional translation experience.

Exhibitors

All New Things

AMBUCS
Irving - Las Colinas

Bienstar Counseling Services

Cenikor

Centro De Mi Salud

Commissionner Elba Garcia

Irving Family Advocacy Center

Metrocare

North Texas Behavioral Health Authority

Parkland Hospital

Salvation Army

The Table

Event Organizers

Our dedictaed team is passionate about mental health awareness and community support, working tirelessly to create a meanungful experience for all participants.