TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Travis County’s mental health diversion program is nearly one year in the works. On Tuesday, county, city and local leaders shared updates on the crisis care program with county commissioners.
Commissioners approved the program in March 2023 and set $6 million aside for the program in April 2023. The goal is to address behavioral health conditions and reduce recidivism.
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This comes as about 40% of people in Travis County jail have a mental health diagnosis, according to the county. This number increases to about 70% of the jail population if substance abuse disorders are included.
Travis County Judge Andy Brown told KXAN that while progress is behind where he would like it to be, there are a lot of community partners that want to have a voice.
Brown hopes the pilot will be up and running in a few months.
“Everybody is saying ‘Yes, absolutely. We need this. We need it as soon as possible,’” Brown said. “And it’s the finding out the exact details of it that are taking a little bit of time.”