Questions abound over pilot program for mental health diversion

As City Council is set to consider authorizing negotiations on a contract that would include allocating $2 million for a mental health diversion pilot program, a lot of questions remain unanswered. On Tuesday, Mayor Kirk Watson started the work session discussion by asking Robert Kingham, administrator of the Downtown Austin Community Court, about how much the city’s partners – Travis County, Central Health and Integral Care’s Psychiatric Emergency Services program – would contribute to the program.

The partners in the project hope the pilot program will leverage existing programs and facilities to expand community services to address unmet “deflection and diversion needs and provide members of the community experiencing behavioral health crises with access to services.” The pilot project is expected to include 25 beds for those participating in the program.

In addition to the money the city will provide, Travis County has proposed allocating $1.2 million. It is not clear exactly how to value in dollars Integral Care’s emergency services program and its 15th Street crisis residential program. The psychiatric emergency services program of Integral Care is funded by Central Health and Travis County.

The city owns the 15th Street building, previously the site of the Ronald McDonald House, where the pilot will be housed. Watson asked about the worth of the property and whether the city was getting credit for its use.

The rental value was estimated at about $300,000 per year. Kingham told Council that under the current proposal, the city was not getting credit for the rental value.

The mayor also wanted to know how many referrals the city could make compared to the other partners. Kingham did not have an answer to that question.

The lack of information is “alarming,” said Council Member Vanessa Fuentes. But she stressed her support for the idea of a mental health diversion program, noting that she visited a mental health diversion facility in Harris County.

Interim City Manager Jesús Garza indicated that it might take a month or two to negotiate the final agreement. He said it was very important for the negotiators to recognize that the city should have significant input on various decisions. In fact, Garza said, the project should be treated like a joint venture, with the partners making decisions together.

Garza pointed out that the city is providing $2.9 million to Travis County’s central booking facility, “so in a sense the city is paying for this program twice. Those are the kinds of questions I think we want to get a deeper understanding of,” he concluded.

Law enforcement and other emergency services entities do not have consistent access to places to take people who seem to be experiencing mental health crises, including people in jail or in a hospital. This pilot project is intended to test whether the city, county and Integral Care can successfully provide a way out for people experiencing behavioral health crises.

According to city documentation, the diversion project will provide up to 90 days of care. After that, individuals experiencing homelessness should be connected to “stable exit options through housing-focused case management services.” That means additional work for the city’s Homeless Services Office.

Documents related to the pilot project indicate that the program would start on March 1, 2024. That seems highly unlikely. Watson asked Kingham when he thought the city and its partners would be ready to start on a long-term program, but Kingham did not know the answer.

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