History

In 1969, through an act of the 1965 Texas State Legislature, the City of Midland and Midland County established the Midland Mental Health and Mental Retardation Centers. Then, in accordance with this legislation, the City of Midland and Midland County appointed a nine member Board of Trustees from the Community. The Trustees applied for recognition as the local authority for mental health and mental retardation services to the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, and were subsequently designated as such.

Midland MHMR served the residents of Midland County until 1972. It was at this time the City of Odessa and Ector County expressed their desire to have a local community MHMR center under the guidance of Texas MHMR. The City of Odessa and Ector County joined Midland MHMR operations and the organization was renamed Permian Basin Community Centers. The Centers operated from 1972 until 1979, serving the residents in Midland and Ector Counties.

In 1979, Pecos County and the City of Fort Stockton, too, expressed a desire to serve their community with similar services. Soon after, they were included in the Permian Basin Community Centers’ structure.

In 1998, Permian Basin Community Centers further expanded its family by adding the counties of Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, and Presidio that formerly comprised the Big Bend State-Operated Center.

Permian Basin Community Centers continues to be recognized as the authority in Midland, Ector, and Pecos Counties providing mental health, intellectual and developmental disability, and substance use disorder services in those catchment areas. The wide array of comprehensive services are designed to promote dignity, self worth, and self reliance to those individuals served. These services include residential and vocational programs, case management, psychiatric evaluations and treatment, family supports, and in-and out-patient treatment.

In 1969, Midland Mental Health and Mental Retardation began with a handful of employees. In 1999, its 30th Anniversary year, Permian Basin Community Centers served one of the largest geographic regions of Texas, spanning eight counties and employing over 400 dedicated and caring people.

in 2018, Permian Basin Community Centers changed its name to PermiaCare and rebranded itself to be the leading expert in behavioral health and developmental disability services.