Young, Jack counties devise mental health strategy at workshop

Young and Jack County officials came together last week to devise a strategy for dealing with the region’s lack of mental health resources at a two-day workshop organized by the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health at the American Patriot Ranch in Decatur. The workshop resulted in a three-point action plan that will have the attention of state lawmakers and could move the bi-county effort to the tops of some grant and funding programs, organizers said.

“We are the only rural counties west of I-35 to do this workshop,” Jack County Judge Keith Umphress told participants. “You’re going to be setting precedent.”

The teams of Young and Jack County authorities, first responders and mental health professionals decided to focus on converting the Jack County Jail into a treatment and holding facility for mentally ill inmates; to create mobile care teams to build relationships with and monitor treatment plans for mental health consumers; and to educate and train first responders and others who interact with mentally ill community members.

The plan is the outcome of several months of meetings between the two counties, which are dealing with a lack of access to the state’s mental health resources and amid a statewide crisis in mental health care. The workshop group included Olney Hamilton Hospital Board Chairman Dale Lovett, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Mona Bernhardt of Olney, Young County Commissioners Stacey Rogers and Jimmy Wiley, Young County Judge Win Graham, Young County Sheriff Travis Babcock, Young County Jail Administrator Beverly Johnson. Olney Police Chief Dan Birbeck, City Administrator Arpegea Pagsuberon, and Mayor Pro Tem Tom Parker participated in discussions leading up to the workshop to solve a lack of services that took the lives of three Olney residents in 2022.

The Judicial Commission officials who led the meeting asked participants to focus on “Intercept Zero,” meaning the moment at which mental health workers, peace officers or community members can prevent mentally ill people from getting arrested. “I am super passionate about preventing that arrest,” said Doug Smith, a professor of criminal justice and mental health policy and facilitator for the Judicial Commission. “Recovery is likely. It is possible with community support.”

Mr. Lovett said he came away from the workshop recognizing that “the need is huge” and “the most ready source of help is our community of friends, neighbors, churches, schools, community … because we have many more people that are in need than we have equipped caregivers.”

Ms. Bernhardt learned about the impact of peer counselors, former mental health consumers who liaise with incoming consumers through the state’s mental health provider, Helen Farabee Centers. “I really want to talk … about starting a peer support group,” she said. “I think the peer support group would be … how we can support each other in our area.”

Precinct 3 Commissioner Stacey Rogers said he was encouraged “by all the people who are willing to come together and work on the problem and really want to do something about it.”

“We are behind the eight ball as it is,” Mr. Rogers said. “How do we get to Intercept Zero? We just need to get people to admit they do have a problem. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. … that’s the first step, is admitting that there is a problem and finding treatment.”