McLennan County leaders are creating a new position aimed at getting individuals with mental health issues the help they need and reducing costs associated with processing them through the judicial system.
After the start of the fiscal year Oct. 1, county commissioners will vote to move $50,000 into a fund for a coordinator position that would expand District Attorney Abel Reyna’s pretrial diversion program. Anticipating the potential expansion, commissioners included a $1 placeholder in the fiscal year 2017 budget to allow for the transfer if the right pieces fell into place.
The position would work with Reyna’s office, Heart of Texas Region MHMR and Tarleton State University.
Tom Thomas, division director of MHMR’s adult mental health services, said he is hoping the program serves about 125 people the first year, which would average to about $400 spent per person. He said the county spends about $10,000 per person serving individuals with mental health issues in the judicial system.
[For more of this story, written by Cassie L Smith, go to http://www.wacotrib.com/news/h...7e-907e090e400b.html]
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