HAYS COUNTY BEHAVIORAL ADVISORY TEAM
The Hays County Behavioral Advisory Team gave a presentation regarding a Diversion Center, which would divert those with mental illness and Substance Use Disorder that have committed a crime from the jail, at the regularly scheduled commissioners court on Tuesday. In a separate item on the agenda, there was a discussion about the selection of Hellmuth Obata Kassabaum, L.P. to work with Hays County stakeholders regarding the design of a Mental Health Diversion Center. The court decided to table that item and bring one back at another meeting that involved hiring a project management firm instead of one that works with design and engineering. At a previ- ous meeting on May 6, Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra presented a similar item in which the court held a discussion related to consideration of the expansion of a Mental Health Diversion Center along with a 60 bed expansion of the existing jail facility footprint and to proceed with negotiating an agreement with HOK, utilizing their existing architectural and engineering contract. Three commissioners expressed concern with the item — particularly the location of the center, the timing and the firm choice — and Becerra tabled the item until it could be altered to satisfy those apprehensions.
San Marcos Police Chief Stan Standridge said the court had an item related to the creation of a Diversion Center during the May 6 meeting, and he wanted to provide additional information on what the BAT thinks that should look like.
“Our purpose today is to provide some factual information as it relates to everybody’s shared goal of having a Diversion Center,” Standridge said. “Please know that this is the number one goal of the Behavioral Advisory Team, as expressed in its charter, which was adopted in 2023.”
Standridge noted that the Diversion Center can only be created through partnerships as there is an initial cost in addition to the ongoing funding required to keep it running. Standridge said there are several options for the type of diversion center that could be utilized: A Crisis Stabilization Unit – the most intensive and costly option, similar to psychiatric hospital, which he said he would not recommend for Hays County, Extended Observation Unit – short term stay (up to 48 hours) intensive stabilization care for patients who might pose a high to moderate risk of harm but is less restrictive than CSU, and Crisis Residential Beds – step down services on a voluntary basis with typical stay up to 10 days to provide additional stabilization following the extended observation.
“What we are recommending from the Behavioral Advisory Team is a grouping of an Extended Observation Unit, possibly up to six beds, accompanied by ten Crisis Residential Beds. This is the model that’s been adopted in Comal County,” Standridge said. “It’s important to note that if you go higher than 16 diversion beds, then you’re basically going to enter the regulation associated with a psychiatric hospital. So that is why when you look across the state of Texas for cost modeling and census modeling, the number of actual clients will be in there [and] 16 is about the normative. So we recommend no higher than 16 because of the regulation and sheer cost.”
Hays County Health Department Director Matthew Gonzales said the county should locate the Diversion Center within or adjacent to a local hospital or behavioral health facility.
“This approach aligns with best practices by supporting a trauma-informed, health-centered environment, distancing the program from punitive association,” Gonzales said. “Integrating with the hospital and or healthcare facility offers significant benefits, such as around-the-clock medical and psychiatric staffing, emergency department access for medical clearance and shared infrastructure, such as pharmacy, security and IT. It also promotes seamless transitions between crisis care, inpatient services and outpatient follow up. These operational efficiencies lower the startup costs affiliated with this and enable long-term sustainability.”
Gonzales added that the healthcare or Mental Health and Developmental Disability sites should be chosen based on access, scalability and proximity to emergency services.
“This recommendation ensures the center is equipped to meet both clinical and community needs, while strengthening partnerships that support the broader mental health system in Hays County and lower the startup costs,” he said.
Hays County Sheriff Anthony Hipolito provided law enforcement data, which he said “fully supports the need for a Mental Health Diversion Center.”
“Buda PD, Kyle PD, San Marcos PD and Hays County Sheriff’s Office, in 2022, we did … 884 Emergency Detentions, which comes out to approximately 2.4 Emergency Detentions a day. In 2023, law enforcement throughout Hays County did 794 Emergency Detentions, which comes out to approximately 2.1 a day. And, in 2024, we did 795 Emergency Detentions, which comes out also to 2.1,” Hipolito said. “The County Court at Law, the Mental Health Court that Judge Brown runs, in 2022, they performed eight Emergency Detentions and 85 Order of Protective Custodies [and], in 2023, eight Emergency Detentions and 84 Order of Protective Custodies. And, in 2024, they did 19 Emergency Detentions and 32 Order of Protective Custodies.”
Kaimi Mattila, Mental Health Court administrator, discussed the finances required to make the Diversion Center a reality.
“The construction of a standalone center would require local dollars from the county and all cities within once constructed; sustainable funding would then need to be identified,” Mattila said. “This would ideally include the Texas Legislature allocating state funding to provide services through our Local Mental Health Authority. Other funding options might include a blend of local foundation’s donations and county funds. The ongoing operating costs of the Diversion Center would depend on size, location and service array.”
Mattila added that the BAT recommends collaborating with a local hospital and the Local Mental Health Authority similar to what was done in Comal County.
When discussing the item related to the hiring of a design firm for the center, Becerra said that it was “purely architectural” and “purely to continue the work that we’ve been discussing.” He added that it would be a way to formalize the process of speaking to stakeholders and executing plans.
Hays County Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe said she was hesitant and that a similar item had been to court before, and she still wasn’t sure if she knew who she wanted to lead the effort.
“I know that HOK has done a lot of work as it relates to our jail. They’ve done a fantastic job,” she said. “This is something different, and I’m just not certain that I’m prepared to make that decision today.”
Stephanie Hunt, Hays County purchasing agent, said the goal has always been to work with the Hill Country MHDD Centers as the operating entity.
“Would it not be best to have some type of agreement on hand with them because I feel like they would want to have some buy-in as far as design and all of that,” Hunt said. “I’m not saying we don’t need this at some point, but I feel like we should have some type of agreement with them first.”
Becerra felt this item could be used as a starting off point to have those discussions with Hill Country MHDD.
“Clearly, Hill Country is one of our stakeholders,” he said. “The idea of having an official direction … [and an] organization hired … to reach out to them to have conversations and to reach out to the BAT team and everyone else. … [The point of the agenda item is] for us to put someone on the pay roll so that we can have those conversations on our dime.”
Becerra added that “it’s time” to get the ball rolling on the Mental Health Diversion Center.
Hunt said a good option would be to hire a project management firm.
“We already have a project management pool. We would just have to select a firm. So I don’t know if we want to work with the Sheriff and the BAT team on who that might be and then bring a selection back to court for approval.”
Becerra said to table the item and bring another back with a project management firm to begin the process.
