AUSTIN, Texas — Eight months after the Travis County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a resolution that directed staff to find locations and funding for a new Central Booking and Mental Health Diversion Center, new information about the proposed project was introduced on Tuesday.
A facility design working group updated Travis County commissioners that it needs to find an architectural and engineering team in order to start the project.
The group estimated the cost of Phase 1 to be around $1.5 million, with a completion date of five-and-a-half years after requests for qualifications (RFQ) go out. An RFQ asks potential suppliers or vendors to detail their background and experience providing a specific good or service.
The KVUE Defenders have been following the progress of the proposed mental health diversion center and booking facility as well as why it's needed.
The goal is to prevent people with mental illness accused of minor offenses from going to jail and instead, get the psychiatric help they need.
Travis County mental health experts have previously told KVUE that about 40% of the jail population has mental health challenges.
Sheriff Sally Hernandez said the current jail population is 2,343, which is higher than it has been in a while.
"A diversion center gives law enforcement options other than incarceration," Hernandez told commissioners.
Initial mental health assessments for inmates are conducted in Travis County's Central Booking facility, which Hernandez said is too small.
"Our small and outdated Central Booking facility limits not only TCSO [Travis County Sheriff's Office] but also our partners … It also requires more staff and slows down the whole booking process," Hernandez said.
No action was taken on Tuesday, but a vote to move forward with the project is expected next week.