Mental health deputy approved
Grant will pay for officer's salary, fringe benefits and patrol car
BY TERRIE GONZALEZ

County jail inmates with mental problems frequently require extra intervention which often includes doctor's appointments, court appearances and one-on-one assistance from ACCESS, a local community center specializing in mental health issues.

In the past, sheriff 's deputies have been required to provide transportation and guard the inmate during time away from the jail.

"Sometimes we have to take someone to the behavioral health center in Tyler. Other times, we'll pick someone up on a mental health warrant, and we will have to take the person to the emergency room to make sure he is clear of drugs or alcohol. Sometimes this can take four hours of an officer's time," said Cherokee County Sheriff James Campbell.

Cherokee County Commissioners signed off Monday morning on what both parties consider a win-win proposition in which a new mental health officer is added to the sheriff 's department, including the officer's fringe benefits and a new patrol vehicle.

This officer will receive 40 hours of specialized training in mental health issues and will be responsible for transporting inmates which fall into this category.

The interlocal agreement is valued at approximately $63,000 and will be paid by ACCESS.

Executive Director Allyn Lang spoke before Cherokee County Commissioners Monday and said the funds were authorized during the last session of the Legislature. Counties have the option of hiring a full-time mental health officer or applying the funds to pay overtime to off-duty deputies employed by the sheriff 's office.

Anderson County, which is also served by ACCESS, recently chose to add a new mental health deputy.

"There are advantages to having an officer instead of paying overtime," said Mr. Lang. "With a dedicated officer, we are not dependent upon other officers who are willing to work the overtime."

Sheriff Campbell agrees.

I think this will help us out

lot. This is an additional deputy I can use in between mental health cases. This will help me keep my cars on the road."

The new vehicle will be leased by ACCESS to the county for $10 per year.

It will not be used for scheduled patrols, but may be used for other purposes.

The grant is for an 18- month period, and ACCESS will have to re-apply if the Legislature continues the funding.

If the grant program is not continued, Mr. Lang said he would be able to give the county approximately six months' notice.

Funding for the mental health deputy represents a shift by the Texas Legislature. During the 80th session, an additional $82 million was earmarked for mental health crisis intervention services. Funding for state mental health facilities totaled $634 million, representing a $14.6 million increase to maintain caseloads.

Dr. David Lakey, Department of State Health Services, told the Cherokeean Herald in November 2007 in an exclusive interview that the funding was one of his agency's biggest successes during the Legislature.

"We were successful in securing an additional $82 million for mental health crisis services," he said.

The additional money will allow DSHS to open six new psychiatric emergency observation sites, provide children's outpatient and crisis stabilization services for 87,000 people, and train and certify 340 community center staff (such as ACCESS in Cherokee County) to respond to crisis calls.

ACCESS is teaming with two other community centers, Andrews Center in Tyler and Community Health Care in Longview, to apply for a grant that would place one of the psychiatric sites in East Texas. ACCESS employs 85 full-time staff members and has a budget of $6.6 million for fiscal year 2008.