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Mental health grant in jeopardy

Tyler Morning Telegraph (TX) - 7/30/2014

July 30--A $130,000 grant to fund more mental health coverage in Smith County could be in jeopardy without up-front money from Smith County.

Andrews Center Division Director Valerie Holcomb said the $130,000 federal grant would cover the cost of two full-time Crisis Intervention Team deputies within the Smith County Sheriff's Office. The officers are trained to handle mental health crisis and divert mental patients from local emergency rooms and the jail to mental health professionals.

The Sheriff's Office has two full-time CIT officers who work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. The Andrews Center has six part-time off-duty officers who are trained in crisis intervention.

When a person is taken into custody by city or county law enforcement officers, the arresting officer has two choices if there is not a CIT member available. They can take the individual to an emergency room and possibly spend hours waiting to hand over the person for a psychiatric evaluation or they can charge the person with violations that warrant booking into the jail, which takes 30 minutes, Ms. Holcomb said.

"A lot of officers are spending time waiting in hospitals when they want to be and need to be out patrolling the streets," she said.

Most crisis calls occur between 3 to 10 p.m. Ms. Holcomb said. The additional deputies would close that critical evening and nighttime gap, she said.

Ms. Holcomb said mentally ill inmates cost the county about $120 per day versus around $45 per day for other inmates, because they require medication, separate housing and increased monitoring. She estimated the average cost per mentally ill patient at around $3,500. Statistics gathered by the Andrews Center show 42 percent of the county jail population had been through the mental health system at some point while 22 percent have a current diagnosis.

In a past story by the Tyler Morning Telegraph, former Sheriff J.B. Smith called the county jail a "dumping ground for the mentally ill."

The Andrews Center estimates its part-time intervention team has saved the county $1.5 million in the past year by diverting would-be prisoners.

Smith County commissioners see the value and need for more officers trained to deal with mentally ill cases but put off a decision on accepting the grant for another week of consideration.

County Judge Joel Baker said the grant appears to be a valuable opportunity to add mental health officers but worries about the up-front cost (purchasing vehicles, around $40,000) and whether the grant would be available beyond 2015. Vehicle purchases may not fit in a "tight budget," he said.

The five-year grant would have two remaining years available, Ms. Holcomb said. After that there is no guarantee the state or federal government would pick up the tab.

The noncommitment worries Baker, he said.

Commissioner JoAnn Hampton said jail is not the place for mental patients. She said most people taken into custody during crisis situations or manic episodes are likely not on their medications and need professional care to put them back on track.

Mrs. Hampton said people from all backgrounds, including veterans returning from serving the nation overseas, are spending time in jail when they should be receiving counseling and medication.

"We need to stop people in those situations from entering the jail," she said. "We need to try to help them instead of putting them in the system."

Mrs. Hampton said she hopes "community members" would step forward to help purchase the vehicles.

The Andrews Center does not have money in its budget to pay for vehicles, Ms. Holcomb said.

Ms. Holcomb said it is up to court members but said the grant is a great opportunity to meet a growing need in the county.

"I would hate to see them give up on this grant because it increases safety in this area for the cost of two vehicles," she said. "It's something that would save the county money."

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