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Court authorizes Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network offices at juvenile detention center; agreement includes access to respite facility
Summary
The commissioners approved using county juvenile nonsecure shelter space for Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network staff to provide onsite behavioral-health services and to access the Chase House respite center for short-term stays.
McLennan County commissioners approved an agreement authorizing office space at the county juvenile detention center for the Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network and related access to the network's Chase House respite center.
Colin Tooker presented the item, describing a plan to repurpose underused nonsecure shelter space to house behavioral-health staff on-site. "This is something that's been in the works for a while," Tooker said, adding that shelter usage had fallen sharply since 2014 and particularly after the COVID period. He said locating behavioral-health staff on the juvenile campus would reduce transportation barriers for families and juveniles already visiting the facility.
Tooker said the network would staff the facility with "up to 6 to 7 staff" and that the arrangement would allow the county to refer juveniles immediately to onsite services or sign them up for ongoing treatment during their visit. The agreement would also permit the county to access the network's Chase House respite center for short-term stays when appropriate; Tooker described the Chase House as a respite facility that can provide around-the-clock services and said it typically keeps juveniles for up to two weeks in some cases.
Court materials filed with the agenda showed the fiscal year 2025 budget included $50,000 allocated to the behavioral-health partnership to hire one of two gang-reduction mental-health professionals; Tooker said the arrangement is similar in design to an existing commitment-reduction program funded through grants. After discussion and clarifying questions about expected use, duration and staffing, the court approved the request; the transcript records the motion, a second and a voice vote of "Aye," with the clerk noting "Motion carries." No opposing votes were recorded on the transcript.
The court's approval authorizes the county to provide office space; specific referral volumes, performance metrics and further budget actions were not specified at the hearing and would be handled through the juvenile board and contracted arrangements.
