Bluebonnet Trails Community Services Guadalupe County

Bluebonnet has helped my daughter make progress. We started with them when she was 11. She works with a Psychiatrist and an in-home skills therapist and online talk therapist. If needed they offer a respite program that is similar to in-patient, but feels homelike and like a "therapy camp." They also offer "yes waiver" program to get her involved in community activities (art, animals, sports). They also have a 24/7 crisis hotline that we've programed in her phone when she's melting down and needs to "vent." She has gone from throwing things, breaking, hitting, getting into physical fights at school to using her words and her coping skills A LOT more!

I contacted Bluebonnet Trails today during a mental health crisis, clearly explaining that I had limited financial resources and that I urgently needed support or guidance for counseling or crisis services. Instead of being offered crisis resources, low-cost options, or clear information about available services, I was told an appointment would cost $55 and that I needed a primary care provider, which I currently do not have. During the call, the staff member also made an inappropriate remark about people “diagnosing themselves,” laughing as if it were a joke. This was unprofessional and deeply discouraging to hear while I was seeking help. She then asked me to explain my entire situation over the phone, which felt invasive and not appropriate for an initial crisis call. The tone and attitude were so dismissive that I experienced a significantly severe panic attack afterward. This experience left me feeling unheard, unsupported, and overwhelmed at a time when I was already vulnerable. Mental health providers should offer compassion, clarity, and crisis-appropriate guidance—especially when someone reaches out in distress. No one seeking help should be discouraged because of financial hardship, lack of a PCP, or unprofessional behavior from staff. I hope this review encourages improvements so others in crisis receive the respect, support, and direction they urgently need.

Update: Today, Jan 8th, Vanessa and Mike sent the police to cause further gaslighting. Vanessa Hawley and Linda Ponce Gay knowingly gaslight IDD/OBI clients and derive satisfaction from violating the ADA. It’s concerning that they lead departments responsible for serving disabled/developmentally delayed/autistic individuals when they lack knowledge about the population they serve. Whether due to incompetence or malevolence, the outcome remains the same: we have confirmed from multiple departments that there is no staff training on managing autistic, or developmentally delayed individuals, demonstrating no understanding of their unique needs and challenges in communication. Instead, they engage in gaslighting, escalation, and then involve law enforcement when you claim your ADA rights or raise legitimate concerns. We are committed to ensuring that such conduct never affects any other clients. To that end, we have invited the CEO, Mike Maples, to meet, and offered to develop a comprehensive training program. This program would ensure that Vanessa, Linda, and other “leaders” engaging in gaslighting autistic individuals receive formal instruction on merciful, and lawful interactions with vulnerable populations. It will serve as a deterrent by emphasizing the legal consequences for abusing, lying to, and neglecting clients. We strongly advise against engaging with Bluebonnet. Attempts to report misconduct to organizational leadership, including CEO Mike Maples, have been met with retaliatory actions, including previous police involvement and the blocking of emails. Accountability is absent, as Vanessa and Linda obstruct the disclosure of mistreatment. Extensive documentation exists to substantiate these claims. Individuals reporting misconduct or abuse concerning loved ones should ensure the presence of legal counsel in all comms. Vanessa and Linda are adept at faking goodwill while ambushing you on a call with strategically phrased questions and statements intended to mitigate their liability. The organization evidently allocates funds to legal representation and “leaders” rather than prioritizing client welfare. This underscores the efficacy of contacting donors as a mechanism for imposing accountability. We are pursuing this and other avenues and urge others to do likewise. In addition to her reluctance to fulfill her responsibilities despite a confirmed 6-figure salary, Vanessa functions as a gatekeeper for the CEO. Although the CEO agreed to a direct meeting, he executed a bait-and-switch, redirecting it to Vanessa and Linda. This maneuver enabled them to deliberately provoke the client, selectively document the interaction, and furnish the CEO with a biased, sanitized account of events. Subsequently, they directed us to execute a so-called “mutual respect agreement.” As we have exhibited no disrespect, we declined to sign, and we counsel others to refuse if similarly confronted. This instrument is merely a device to perpetuate their abusive practices while suppressing dissent. It’s shameful that they exploit contractual mechanisms to silence the disabled. There are a few good service providers, the fundamental issues reside in the leadership. If the application process strikes you as incompetent and dysfunctional, the operational oversight by leadership is even more alarming. Be advised that, absent prompt corrective measures by the CEO including the implementation of the proposed training and appropriate personnel actions this matter will be escalated. Reports will be filed with relevant Texas and federal agencies responsible for overseeing such violations, including the Adult Protective Services, HHS, Disability Rights Texas, and the DOJ Civil Rights Division. Furthermore, legal action will be pursued to enforce compliance with the ADA and protect the rights of affected individuals, potentially seeking remedies such as injunctive relief, compensatory damages, and attorney fees. This communication serves as formal notice of these intentions, and we expect immediate steps to rectify the documented deficiencies.

Got my daughter an evaluation for counseling and they said they would call with an appointment. They never did. I kept calling left voicemails even drove there and they kept saying we'll call you. They did 6 months later some guy saying all they do is hand out medication and we can meet in a park in the hot weather to discuss the treatment. Um no thank you. Now being forced through the state to have my son go. Same type of incompetence. 2 hrs of evaluation over zoom followed by multiple Docusign of TRYING to get it started BUT the Docusign is always incorrect with wrong names so of course the insurance won't take it. The person instead of comprehending keeps saying well do you want to pay for it instead of insurance paying for it. No ma'am we want the forms correct so our insurance WILL pay for it. I don't understand how this place is still running and why the state is working with a place that has this many problems. Cheap easy money for all involved? Trying to get ppl to pay out of pocket? Trying to get ppl to meet in 100 degree weather just to write a script never mind real counseling? Big pharma insurance greed

As others have said, go elsewhere!! The office staff is extremely unprofessional. They shat the bed with one of my appointments and then the higher-up from the main office couldn't even be bothered to return my call. On top of that, my daughter missed half her appointment because they couldn't verify her insurance, which had already been verified and had not changed. Do not come to this office for help with mental health. You end up worse off than before you came. They legitimately do not care about the person, just the payment.

They're absolutely irresponsible. I went to the crisis center numerous times, because they could not prescribe me the right medication. It took 12 years for another doctor to give me what I needed. All of my suffering could have been avoided. To top it off they violated all of my HIPPA rights. Why they wanted to hurt me vs help me is beyond me.

Everyone there is so nice... When you walk in the door you see a smile like they're happy to see you again... Thank you to the whole staff and I mean everyone that works there. They're all nice people.

Impossible to get mental health treatment through them.