Libraries for Health

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Libraries for Health is a pilot program to improve community mental wellness in Central Texas by integrating mental health supports into ten rural libraries. The pilot was spearheaded by St. David’s Foundation who selected RAND as the pilot design and evaluation partner. Via Hope served as the Libraries for Health implementation partner, training and supervising the peer specialists.

Libraries for Health consists of three primary components.

Peer Specialists

Libraries were assigned a peer specialist to represent the communities and support the mental health of community members through one-on-one and group interactions.

Library Learning Cohort

Libraries participated in a professional learning cohort that included quarterly meetings, professional learning, and other collaborative opportunities.

Flexible Grant Funding

St. David’s Foundation awarded multi-year grants to libraries to support implementation of pilot activities and integration of mental health supports.

Featured Research

About the Reseach

Libraries for Health and its evaluation were funded by St. David’s Foundation, an organization focused on advancing health equity in Central Texas. RAND served as the design and evaluation partner. The pilot began in 2022 and continued through 2025, while the formal implementation evaluation concluded at the end of 2024. Insights from the evaluation are detailed in:

• Research Report: This report details the feasibility, barriers, facilitators, and sustainability of the pilot and concludes with recommendations for prospective implementers and those who are interested in supporting implementation.
• Research Brief: A condensed version of the research report, this brief highlights key findings and recommendations from the full report.
• Implementation Toolkit: This resource includes tips, worksheets, and guidelines for libraries or other community organizations seeking to implement a sustainable program similar to Libraries for Health.

Findings from the evaluation should be especially relevant to community members and leaders who are interested in incorporating nonclinical mental health supports into community spaces, with the goal of expanding the mental health workforce.