Abbott blamed Texas school shooting on lack of mental health resources. But he reportedly cut more than $200 million from the department that handles them.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which oversees mental health services, was cut close to $2o million by the governor.

Mental-health challenges were attributed to the rise in mass shootings. It is not known if the 18-year-old who killed 19 children and two adults had a history of mental illness.

Abbott said there was no known mental-health history of the shooter.

He blamed mass shootings on mental health.

The status of mental health in our communities has changed substantially, he said.

The director of the Buehler Center for Health Policy and Economics told NBC News that there was no evidence that the shooter was mentally ill.

She told the outlet that it is rare for a mass shooter to have a mental health condition.

According to Pamela Brown of CNN, despite Abbott's assertion that the issue is tied to mental health, he has cut more than $117 million from the state's Health and Human Services Commission.

More than $200 million was cut from the departments funds over the course of two years to support the National Guard and efforts on the border.

The governor's office did not respond to Insider's request for comment, but told CNN that Abbott has spent his time in office working with legislators to support mental health initiatives in the state.

Texas was ranked 50 out of 51 territories for mental health access by Mental Health America. It was ranked 15 for adults and 30 for youth, indicating that it had high prevalence of mental health illnesses but limited care.

Brown talked about Texas's mental health rankings compared to mass shootings in the state in recent years.

Before Uvalde, there were mass shootings at a Walmart in El Paso, Santa Fe High School, and the Texas First Baptist Church.

According to Abbott, 18 year olds have been able to buy long guns for 60 years.

We did not have school shootings for the majority of the 60 years. Abbott asked why we do it now.

Legislators and advocates across the country have criticized loose gun laws.

Post told NBC News that Texas has the highest gun per capita rate, and that Abbott's efforts to curb mass shootings following the El Paso shooting only led to more bills that would have allowed the public to carry guns.

Insider previously reported that the state has recently passed laws that make it easier for people to acquire guns.