According to the City of Mesquite, the municipality selected Shenna Oriabure, LCSW, as its new Behavioral Health Manager on Nov. 9, 2026. Oriabure officially began her role on Nov. 2, joining the Housing and Community Services Department to direct the city’s behavioral health initiatives and to strengthen partnerships that support residents throughout Mesquite and the surrounding region.
Oriabure brings more than 16 years of public‑sector experience that spans behavioral health, criminal justice, specialty courts, diversion programs, public‑safety initiatives, and federally funded programs. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Texas, a credential that qualifies her to oversee complex service delivery systems.
Before joining the city, Oriabure served as Program Manager for the Focused Deterrence Program with the Dallas County Criminal District Attorney’s Office. Prior to that, she spent over a decade with the Dallas County Department of Criminal Justice, where she held positions as Specialty Court Manager and Mental Health Specialty Court Coordinator. In those roles she oversaw federally funded programs, supported specialty courts that served hundreds of participants annually, coordinated behavioral health services for justice‑involved individuals, and built partnerships among courts, law‑enforcement agencies, treatment providers, and community organizations.
As Mesquite’s Behavioral Health Manager, Oriabure will oversee the city’s Behavioral Health division, which includes the Community Care Team, homeless outreach, and victim services. She will work closely with public‑safety agencies, healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, and regional partners to improve access to services and to strengthen the community’s overall behavioral health response.
Oriabure earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University. She is also a graduate of the Dallas County Leadership and Management Academy and the National Association of Counties High‑Performance Leadership Academy, training that equips her to lead collaborative, high‑impact programs.
City officials indicated that Oriabure’s appointment is intended to enhance coordination among existing services and to expand outreach to vulnerable populations. Residents can expect continued collaboration between the Behavioral Health division and local partners as the city works to address homelessness, victim support, and broader mental‑health needs. For updates on upcoming community meetings or program initiatives, Mesquite residents should monitor city communications and the Housing and Community Services Department’s announcements.
Sources: cityofmesquite.com
