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Brazos County Sheriff's Office

Name of coordinating law enforcement agency:: Brazos County Sheriff's Office
Approximate number of officers in agency:: 100
Primary specialized response:: Police officers are trained to provide crisis intervention services and to act as liaisons to the mental health system.
Program start year:: 2005 or earlier
Total number of officers in program:: Our agency has 3 full time Crisis Intervention Deputies, 2 Supervisors, and 11 Transport Deputies which assist in crisis intervention. The program also has officers from other law enforcement agencies.

Name of coordinating law enforcement agency:: Brazos County Sheriff's Office
Type of government that operates law enforcement agency:: Municipal
Approximate number of officers in agency:: 100

Program start year:: 2005 or earlier
Primary specialized response:: Police officers are trained to provide crisis intervention services and to act as liaisons to the mental health system.
Secondary specialized response:: Mental health professionals partner with law enforcement officers to provide on-scene crisis intervention and referral.
Background information:: Our program began through a collaborative with our regional MHMR. Our agency was part of a Jail Diversion Task Force which determined we needed to offer ways to divert mental health consumers prior to getting arrested and placed into the criminal justice system. We also determined we needed to assist consumers prior to falling into crisis. It took our agency about a year to develop operational policies and procedures, develop plans with our MHMR and establish collaboratives with our MHMR and other law enforcement agencies.
Total number of officers in program:: Our agency has 3 full time Crisis Intervention Deputies, 2 Supervisors, and 11 Transport Deputies which assist in crisis intervention. The program also has officers from other law enforcement agencies.
Number of people with mental illness served:: More than 500
Catchment area:: The entire jurisdiction
Funding source(s):: Sheriff's Department

State Mental Health Authority

Federal grant funds
Staff supported by funding:: Law Enforcement Officer

MH Service Provider (e.g. case manager, social worker)

Program Coordinator

Existence of planning and oversight committee:: Yes, currently
Committee participants:: Law enforcement supervisory-level staff

Law enforcement leadership

Mental health (and/or substance abuse) supervisory-level staff
Mental health or advocacy agencies that participate in program:: Brazos Valley Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority
Written agreement of roles and procedures:: Yes
Recruitment and selection:: Officers volunteer and all are selected.
Program coordinator/boundary spanner: Yes. There are multiple program coordinators
: Same (Brazos County Sheriff's Office) Kendra Watson (College Station Police Department) 979-764-5004 Sherry Suarez (MHMR) 979-361-9838

Types of training on mental health issues:: Pre-service training for new recruits at the academy

2

Basic in-service training for select patrol officers

16

Basic in-service training for dispatchers and / or call takers

4

Advanced in-service training for select patrol officers

24
Number of officers who receive advanced training:: 1-50
Groups who conducts advanced training:: Police officers

Mental health professionals (crisis workers)

Medical professionals (doctors or nurses)
Advanced training topics:: Recognizing symptoms of mental illness, and clinical issues

Co-occurring disorders

Psychiatric medications

Community resources (mental health services, etc.)

Legal issues concerning individuals with mental illness

Legal issues concerning police officer liability

De-escalation techniques
Advanced training methods:: Presentations (including panels, lectures, and/or PowerPoints)

Role plays

Videotapes

Standardized dispatch questions:

Dispatch documentation:

Document in central computer database used for all calls, such as a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system

Incident documentation by responding officer:

Relay information to dispatch who records it in general computer database used for all calls, such as a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system

Record information on a form used only for mental health calls

Record information in an arrest report

Mental health professional available to support police responder:

Yes, both on-site and remotely

Officers permitted to transport people with mental illness to services when:

The person has volunteered to receive mental health treatment
The person is being brought to a crisis center or other health care facility for stabilization or medications management

Officers allowed to transport a person without handcuffs:

Mental Health Consumers are never handcuffed unless there is an immediate threat to the officer, the consumer or a third party.

Access to drop-off locations:

Yes. It is open 24 hours a day.

Procedure for streamlined intake and a "no refusal" policy for police referrals?

Yes

Location of drop-off center(s):

Length of time for drop-off and return to patrol:

21-30 minutes

Data collection:: Yes
Published evaluation:: No
Local media coverage:: No
Legislative funding or support:: The Texas Legislature approved funds for Crisis Redesign.

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