BJA FY23 Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Response Program - Mental Health Response Team

Central Texas MHMR dba Center for Life Resources (CFLR) is the Local Mental Health Authority and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Authority for a 7-county area in rural West Central Texas with the mission to provide truly meaningful, evidenced-based, and timely services for those in need. These services are available to all 97,139 citizens in this area which primarily consists of Caucasian (69.2%) and Hispanic (25.9%) demographics. CFLR seeks to work with the Sheriffs’ Office of Brown County to address the issue of increasing local arrests and criminal justice involvements for individuals with mental health or co-occurring disorders through a law enforcement and behavioral health co-responder program. This program would focus on reducing incarceration of those with mental health and co-occurring disorders through linkage to community-based services and supports.  A Certified Mental Health Deputy will be trained and brought on board as part of a Mental Health Response Team whose goal will be to provide jail diversion services for those experiencing mental health crisis in a single-county area.  In addition, the Mental Health Response Team will bring on board a Qualified Mental Health Professional to serve outside of peak working hours with the intent of providing co-response to law enforcement within a 7-county area, as well as a part-time program administrator to ensure quality services and funding requirements are maintained.  The program will seek to serve 300 unduplicated individuals over the course of the program, with 150 being engaged per service year. CFLR is requesting $544,351.00 to provide these services. This need was identified via needs assessments, feedback from local officials, and review of criminal justice statistics, as well as national data listing the area as medically underserved. After a planning period, hiring process, training, communication with community stakeholders, and assistance from best practice sites, we expect to be able to enhance our ability to meet the local needs of our communities.