In a recent report, Texas ranked 51st among the states and the District of Columbia in access to mental health care services. This is not a new situation. Texas has consistently funded its services near the bottom of all states. The unfortunate results are easy to document. Early intervention and treatment are unavailable. Law enforcement, the courts, jails, detention centers, … [Read more...] about The High Cost of Neglected Mental Health Services
County Jails
Challenges To Our County Jails
When I was appointed six years ago by Gov. Greg Abbott to be the chairman of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (the Commission), I had no idea of the complexities of what this position involved. I knew as a County Judge that you did not want your county jail to be out of compliance with the Commission. I did not realize the challenges Texas counties faced to stay in … [Read more...] about Challenges To Our County Jails
County Jail Telemental Health Care
Mental Health: The more services, the better. While mandates require us to provide mental health services, it is the right thing to do. The mental health population inside our jails is not going down anytime soon. It is something all jails and we administrators are experiencing. So my solution is, the more help and services I can provide these citizens, the better … [Read more...] about County Jail Telemental Health Care
The Cost of County Government
Results of the 2020 Unfunded Mandates Survey
A Collaborative Report by the: Texas Association of Counties, County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas, Texas Conference of Urban Counties, Texas Association of County Auditors and County Treasurers Association of Texas Editor’s Note: This survey was created to help explain the cost of unfunded and underfunded mandates on property tax payers. The … [Read more...] about The Cost of County Government