Harris County officials announced a $3 million investment in diversion programs to reduce jail overcrowding and improve care for inmates with mental health issues.
In a press conference on Thursday, District Attorney Sean Teare was joined by County Commissioners Adrian Garcia and Lesley Briones, Chief Deputy Tommy Diaz from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and Wayne Young from the Harris Center for Mental Health to discuss Harris County’s new strategy for addressing mental health in the justice system.
According to Teare, approximately 80 percent of inmates in the Harris County Jail report experiencing some form of mental health crisis, with one-third of incarcerated individuals currently on psychotropic medications. Teare emphasized that individuals suffering from mental health disorders are often primary drivers of crime in the Houston area, but he argued that jails are not the appropriate setting for treating these individuals.
To address this issue, over 340 inmates have been diverted to treatment services aimed at rehabilitating those with addiction and mental health challenges. As part of these changes, the Commissioners Court allocated a portion of the county’s $7.8 million supplemental budget increase to the DA’s office. Of that, $3 million will go directly to the new Mental Health and Diversions Bureau.
During the press conference, Teare highlighted that this funding has allowed the DA’s office to hire more than 15 additional prosecutors, healthcare workers, and social workers. As a result of these efforts, Teare noted that the Harris County Jail population has decreased by 9 percent since January—from a peak of 9,905 inmates in early February to 8,961 inmates as of Thursday morning.
Teare also pointed out that, due to overcrowding, Harris County taxpayers are currently spending around $54 million annually to outsource inmates to private prisons in other states. The changes being implemented, he said, will likely eliminate that problem entirely.
Commissioner Garcia reflected on his own experience as sheriff of Harris County, noting, “When I once served in the role as sheriff of this county, I had 10,000 inmates in my custody. Two thousand were being shipped to the State of Louisiana at a similar cost of around $60 million. At that time, 30 percent of inmates were on psychotropic medication. I am so proud of my efforts to work with the district attorney and, with the support of my colleagues on Commissioners Court, to provide the necessary investments so that we can do better.”
Commissioner Briones expressed her support for the new initiative, stating, “As a fellow lawyer, I’m energized by the fact that trials are up approximately 30 percent. You’re holding those who need to be held accountable, accountable, while strategically, effectively, and compassionately connecting others to the resources they need.”
Teare also underscored the importance of addressing the court backlog in Harris County, which contributes significantly to jail overcrowding. He stated that the only way to resolve the backlog is by efficiently and swiftly trying cases.
