Amber Pastusek, Chief Medical Officer at Center for Healthcare Services, brought our briefing @TheIntersection this week on the proposed Jail Diversion Center.
Quick recap
The meeting focused on a presentation by Amber about jail diversion centers, specifically discussing the implementation of such programs in Bexar County to address mental health needs and reduce overcrowding in jails. Amber shared insights from Houston’s model, highlighting cost savings and effectiveness in diverting individuals with mental health issues from jail to community-based treatment programs. The discussion covered the current state of mental health resources in Texas, including recent hospital closures and bed shortages, emphasizing the urgent need for alternative care settings. Participants asked questions about long-term effectiveness tracking and funding strategies, with Amber noting that a feasibility study is underway to determine optimal bed capacity and costs for San Antonio’s program. The conversation also touched on recent initiatives like the Good Sam pilot program and the importance of providing community-based mental health services to prevent crisis situations that lead to jail or emergency room visits.
Summary
Mental Health Events Announcements
Ann welcomed attendees to “At the Intersection” and highlighted the strong registrations for upcoming mental health events, including the Sacred Next Action Lab next Thursday from 9am to noon, featuring Lauren Bird from NAMI and Hannah as keynote speaker. Ann also announced the Behavioral Health Conference on the 29th of the month and the Pathways to Hope annual conference on August 28th and 29th. The discussion briefly touched on Deirdre Murphy’s new role as Chief of Staff at CHCS, though this was not central to the main announcements.
Next Week’s Schedule and Events
The meeting discussed next week’s schedule, which will start with an intercession speaker at 8 AM followed by Sacred Action Lab at 9 AM. Todd Weatherly from Stucker Weatherly will be the guest speaker, focusing on integrated care for people with mental illness, including recovery campuses. Ann emphasized that these discussions will continue and deepen through various events including the Behavioral Health Conference and Pathways to Hope, with ongoing conversations planned between now and August.
Bexar County Jail Diversion System
Amber provided a briefing on the Bexar County Jail’s diversion system, highlighting issues with overcrowding and mental health needs. She explained how the jail currently serves about 80 people through gel-based competency restoration to help restore individuals and prevent them from needing forensic state hospital beds. Amber also discussed the implementation of crisis redesign initiatives, including jail-based competency restoration, outpatient competency restoration teams, and multidisciplinary crisis teams like the San Antonio Core and SMART teams, which work with law enforcement to resolve crisis calls in the field.
San Antonio Jail Diversion Program
Amber discussed the development of a jail diversion program in San Antonio, highlighting the success of similar programs in other areas like Harris County. She explained the two-phase model, which includes law enforcement drop-off and a two-week residential program, emphasizing the importance of providing wraparound services and reducing jail overcrowding. Amber mentioned that Dr. Testa from UT Houston is conducting a feasibility study to determine the recommended number of beds and costs for San Antonio’s program, with results expected by the end of summer.
Texas Mental Health Crisis Response
Amber presented a mental health crisis in Texas, highlighting significant bed shortages in inpatient facilities including the closure of 550+ beds across multiple institutions including SASH, NICS, Texas Vista, and recently Laurel Ridge. She emphasized the importance of jail diversion programs as part of a multifaceted approach to address the gap in care, noting that Bexar County has 1 in 4 adults with a mental health condition and over 400,000 residents in the safety net population. When asked about long-term effectiveness data, Amber mentioned that Dr. Test’s upcoming feasibility study would examine outcomes across multiple diversion centers, with initial data showing approximately 60-70% successful outcomes at the Harris Center.
Houston Diversion Center Funding Discussion
Amber discussed the funding and implementation of the Houston Diversion Center model, highlighting cost savings from the Harris County Jail and additional support from Health and Human Services grants. She explained current challenges with increasing operational costs and the need for creative funding solutions, including philanthropy and county support. The group also addressed the closure of beds at Laurel Ridge and discussed initiatives like the Good Sam pilot program to address mental health needs in the community. Ashley requested permission to share information with the ROSC group, and Amber agreed to check with her team before sharing the materials.