Entry eligibility has expanded at Tarrant County’s Mental Health Jail Diversion Center, with one of the goals being increased utilization.
The center opened in January 2022 and is run by My Health, My Resources. Currently, criminal misdemeanor trespass is the only eligible offense for a detained person to be taken to the Mental Health Jail Diversion Center instead of being booked into the Tarrant County Jail.
Ramey Heddins, Chief of Behavioral Health Services at MHMR, said the center gives officers another option besides jail or the hospital.
“It really keeps people with mental health issues out of the criminal justice system who really don’t need to be there. They really need treatment and assistance, not necessarily confinement,” Heddins said.
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Under the new plan, the following offenses will also be eligible: misdemeanor theft, possession of marijuana, disorderly conduct, false report, and non-violent terroristic threat.
Heddins said at full capacity, the center can accommodate about 40 people at a time.
“We have never hit capacity. We have been about 30 individuals a month, I think, is our maximum. So, we have a long way to go to hit our daily capacity,” he said. “I talked to one chief who said it’s kind of hard to turn a big ship. So, it takes a little while. With other programs involving law enforcement, I know it’s taken a while. They have to build trust, some confidence in the program.”
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The plan to expand eligibility was approved by Tarrant County commissioners on Tuesday.
“Partially because of the underutilization of the jail diversion center and partially because it’s just the right thing to do,” Precinct 1 commissioner Roy Brooks said, urging commissioners to vote in favor.
Mark Tittle, director of the jail diversion center, said the check-in process to takes about five minutes.
“The officer is free to go on, and we take care of the patient at that point,’ Tittle said. “It’s a totally voluntary facility from the point the officer interacts with them at the first point.”
The average person stays at the facility for about 72 hours, according to Heddins. They can stay longer, if needed. The stay is complete with a nursing assessment, and they have the option of seeing a primary care or psychiatric subscriber before meeting a staff member for their needs.
“It doesn’t add to their criminal history or start a criminal history for them. They have an opportunity for treatment. They’re less likely to go back to the jail in the future,” he said.
In addition to the expansion of eligible charges, there will be a new process at the Tarrant County Jail. During the book-in process, a conference between MHMR, the originating law enforcement agency and the Tarrant County jail supervisor will determine if the charges can be dropped, and the individual diverted to the Center.
