AUSTIN, Texas — The KVUE Defenders are monitoring Travis County's newest effort to address mental health concerns.
On Tuesday, county leaders gave the green light to fund its portion of the new crisis care diversion pilot program, a program that provides mental health care to those who commit minor crimes.
The Travis County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a $6 million contract with Integral Care, a group that provides a lot of the mental health services in the county. That money comes from local recovery funds.
The total cost of the three-year pilot program is $23 million. The city of Austin, Central Health and Integral Care are also contributing funds.
The commissioners court and the city of Austin first started discussing the crisis care diversion pilot program in 2023. Its goal is the same as the new mental health diversion center: divert those in crisis and accused of misdemeanor crimes from going to jail and, instead, get them the help they need – increasing mental health services while decreasing the number of people arrested.
Two components of the pilot program are expanding psychiatric emergency services and establishing a therapeutic diversion program. The latter includes up to a 90-day treatment program at a 25-bed facility in Downtown Austin.
Once the Austin City Council approves its contract with Integral Care at the end of May, the pilot program is expected to ramp up by hiring staff and making minor renovations at the existing downtown facility. The goal is to have the crisis care diversion pilot program up and running 90 days after that.
Meanwhile, work on the new mental health diversion center continues.