Texas County Progress
The Official Publication of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas
Approximately 38 percent of the 2,400-plus inmates in the Travis County Jail have a serious mental health need (i.e., requiring medications), according to Travis County Judge Andy Brown. Of those 2,400, more than two thirds of the individuals have a substance use disorder, Brown estimated. Determined to lower these statistics, Travis County partnered with local stakeholders … [Read more...] about Travis County Crisis Care Jail Diversion Program
Editor’s Note: In many counties, the county jail has become a de facto mental institution, housing mentally ill inmates awaiting due process without their medications and/or life-sustaining therapies. The situation is lose-lose-lose; the inmates and their families, fellow inmates and jail staff, and the taxpayers are all affected. Money has been appropriated, and … [Read more...] about A Ray of Hope
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
In many counties, the jail has become a de facto mental institution, housing mentally ill inmates awaiting due process without their medications and/or life-sustaining therapies. The situation is lose-lose-lose; the inmate, fellow inmates and jail staff, and the taxpayers are all affected. The statistics have been quoted for so long that one wonders if they have lost their … [Read more...] about Mentally Ill Inmates
Since 2004, Williamson County has taken a keen interest in mental health and has worked to advance services to its citizens while continuing to be fiscally responsible to the taxpayers. More than 20 years ago, leaders in Williamson County recognized that a growing population in the county jail was comprised of nonviolent offenders who needed mental health assistance and … [Read more...] about Mental Health Task Force
