Kerr County signs MOU with Hill Country MHMR to embed mental‑health workers in jail under $1.01M grant

Kerr County commissioners on Monday approved a memorandum of understanding with Hill Country Community MHMR Center to accept grant funds from Texas Health and Human Services that will support mental‑health services for justice‑involved residents.

Sheriff Latham, who brought the item to the court, said the program began development more than a year ago and that the grant — portioned across multiple counties — requires the county to provide office space inside the jail; the grant covers staffing and program costs. Ricky Tai, the Hill Country MHMR representative present at the meeting, said the grant funds two mental‑health workers to be embedded inside the jail to provide crisis care, substance‑use support, peer‑led groups and linkage-to‑care services for up to 90 days after release.

Tai told the court the grant’s goals include reducing jail recidivism among individuals with behavioral‑health needs, decreasing deaths by suicide, and ensuring people released from custody are connected to community providers. The grant award was described in court at approximately $1,014,282, which is apportioned across six counties; Kerr County’s participation in the program is contingent on the executed MOU and the county’s provision of minimal in‑kind support (office space) rather than cash match.

Sheriff Latham said the program will focus on individuals in custody and will not fund day‑to‑day jail transports; the jail and mental‑health provider will coordinate the in‑custody and 90‑day post‑release services. Commissioners expressed support; one noted this type of grant would be reapplied for annually if eligible.

The court voted unanimously to approve the MOU and to accept the grant participation. Staff will finalize agreements and coordinate office arrangements in the jail for the provider’s staff to work on site, then return to court with further updates if requested.