Fady Sahhar • June 29, 2026
Supreme Court Declines to Review Texas Voter Assistance Restrictions, In Blow to Civil Rights Groups
Author
Fady Sahhar
Date
June 29, 2026
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Article by The Hill: Published June 29, 2026
Excerpt below:
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to review a pair of challenges to Texas’s ban on paid voter assistance, leaving in place an appeals court ruling that upheld the restrictions.
The decision is a setback for civil rights and voting rights groups, which argued the state law undermines a section of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) that establishes protections for voters who may require assistance with casting a ballot.

By Richard Edley
•
June 29, 2026
Dear Members, I’m pleased to announce the results of our Spring 2026 Board of Directors election and welcome our newly elected leaders. Our Board of Directors is composed of elected volunteers from the staff and community boards of member organizations across 10 regions of the U.S. Together, these leaders represent our membership and are committed to advancing excellence in mental health and substance use care. Eight of our 10 regions elected regional directors: Region 1: Karin Jeffers, president and CEO, Clinical & Support Options, Northampton, Massachusetts (re-elected to a second term) Region 2: Brandy Vandermark-Murray, president, Horizon Corporations, Getzville, New York (re-elected to a second term) Region 3: Stephen DaRe, president and CEO, Chimes International Limited, Baltimore, Maryland Region 5: Lisa Dominisse, CEO, Centerstone, Bloomington, Indiana (re-elected to a first full term) Region 6: Wayne Young, CEO, The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, Houston, Texas Region 8: Victoria Romero, CEO, San Luis Valley Behavioral Health Group, Alamosa, Colorado Region 9: Ester Quilici, CEO, Vitality Unlimited, Elko, Nevada Region 10: Joan Miller, CEO, Washington Council for Behavioral Health, Seattle, Washington (re-elected to a second term) Three 100% association directors were elected: Vice Chair, Association Executives Committee: Melanie Brown-Woofter, President and CEO, Florida Behavioral Health Association, Tallahassee, Florida 100% Association Executives At-Large Representative: Richard Edley, President and CEO, Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 100% Association Executives At-Large Representative: Alysia Smith Knight, Executive Director, Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations, Franklin, Tennessee These regional directors and Association Executives Committee members will begin their terms on July 1, 2026. We also want to recognize the following individuals — who will complete their terms as regional directors on June 30, 2026 — for their invaluable service: Region 6: Lee Johnson, CEO, Texas Council of Community Centers, Austin, Texas Region 9: Camille Schraeder, CEO, Full Circle Health Network, Ukiah, California On behalf of the National Council, thank you to our outgoing board members for their contributions, and congratulations to our newly elected leaders. We look forward to working together to strengthen mental health and substance use care in communities across the country. Regards, Chuck Ingoglia President and CEO National Council for Mental Wellbeing


