As Williamson’s former mobile team moves in to support only Round Rock residents, many are asking what the county is doing to provide services. We are continuing and expanding our partnership with Bluebonnet Trails, our local mental health authority and community center for Region 5, serving eight counties, including Williamson. Its focus is to provide services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
While the media and politicians blame the mental health crisis for the recent shootings, many of those involved show no signs of a mental health crisis, but are clearly not stable individuals. Williamson County strives to connect our citizens in crisis with the most appropriate treatment when possible.
Mobile team for crisis management of Bluebonnet Trails
MCOT teams have previously worked in tandem with the MOT County Social Workers’ Group to provide on-site services and respond to mental health crises in the county, including schools. This group is now making crises that affect everyone except the city of Round Rock in this effort. Adults or children can be taken to recreation centers or referred to employees and programs with Bluebonnet staff.
Support for young people
With financial assistance from Williamson County, using $ 8.1 million from the U.S. Rescue Plan Act, Bluebonnet Trails has launched its brand new therapeutic holiday program for young people, which caters to children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 17. This 16-bed, 24-hour leisure center serves young people for a few hours or up to 30 days at its Round Rock facility.
Participants receive comprehensive care, including innovative therapies, care coordination, family partner services, case management, psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and more.
The facility opened on June 1
Rock Springs of Georgetown
Williamson County provided partial support of $ 3 million, using funding from ARPA, to Bluebonnet Trails to partner with Rock Springs, a private youth and adult mental health and addiction facility, to build a wing providing an additional 24 beds to the existing facility with 72 beds for crisis care for young people. Despite worries and delays in the supply chain, employees there hope to be open by the end of December. Additional funding from ARPA of $ 1.3 million is intended to maintain the ongoing operation of this extended service.
Law enforcement support
The sheriff’s office has long provided a remote psychiatrist available for telemedicine or personal conversations in prison. In January, the Court of Commissioners voted to fund a full-time medical assistant with experience in psychiatric care to support the prison correction team. This PA will be able to reduce the time and cost of carrying out physical and mental assessments and introduce medicines, if necessary, to stabilize the prisoner, reduce stress for all and speed up the court for the individual.
Sheriff Mike Gleason has reinstated the crisis response team that was disbanded by the previous administration. These are law enforcement officers with special training to deal effectively with people in mental health crisis. This team is reducing the number of people taken to the emergency department or prison through diversion services provided by Bluebonnet Community Services, Georgetown Behavioral or Rock Springs. This is the only team that can remove a person’s rights and impose involuntary commitments outside the judiciary – a move that is not taken lightly.
Adult support in the judiciary
Coordination of care for prisoners, based on justice, for prisoners and other persons involved in the court for medical, social and psychiatric care has been established. The county added a prison care coordinator and a court care coordinator to reduce the time between a person’s imprisonment and his or her initial court hearing. In addition, both make it easier to connect the individual with community support for their condition, which reduces recidivism in prison. Our 26th District Court, led by Judge Donna King, is conducting a special mental health record.
Adult support in crisis
The Lott building in the San Gabriel Park area has undergone major renovations to become a 23-hour adult descent center in crisis. In partnership with the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and CIT, adults in crisis can be brought to this dive center for medical and psychological assessment. There are 16 beds available, as well as a large open room for board games, rest and watching TV, and the most appropriate level of care is determined by the team of 27 specialists in mental health and primary care who maintain this institution 24/7. Individuals move to a certain level of care in a deliberate and safe way. The renovation was provided with funding from the CARES Act. Bluebonnet Trails staff are monitoring the operation.
Terry Cook is a District 1 District Commissioner, which includes most of Round Rock, most of Austin in Williamson County and part of South Cedar Park.