Travis County and partners brief committee on Scribe Care diversion pilot; 25‑bed therapeutic diversion center serves jailed individuals

Travis County, the City of Austin, Integral Care and Central Health presented an update on June 4 about the mental health diversion pilot—also called the Scribe Care Diversion pilot—explaining the pilot’s two main components, projected costs and early results.

The pilot includes (1) psychiatric emergency services (PES) expanded to 24/7 to provide a clinical triage and drop-off location for first responders and (2) a 25‑bed Therapeutic Diversion Program (TDP), a shelter-designated respite that opened October 7, 2024, and accepts voluntary residents for up to 90 days.

Travis County staff summarized projected pilot costs through FY27: they estimated about $11.4 million for TDP and nearly $15 million for PES over the pilot period. Funding partners outlined contributions the county listed in its overview: Travis County committed about $6 million; the City of Austin has a total planned contribution of $2 million in FY26/FY27 (one $1 million city contract and a $1 million amount reflected in the county contract as part of a funding swap); Central Health reported $4.5 million committed with a projected further contribution of $3 million per year; Integral Care reported a $5.1 million HHSC grant and indicated additional commitment projections. The county noted that some ARPA/LFRF funds supporting the pilot must be expended by December 2026, adding a timing constraint.

Operationally, Integral Care and partners reported early performance metrics through the first two quarters of the pilot (data released through March, with a third quarter in progress). PES has received drop-offs and walk-ins from emergency departments, the sobering center and first responders: presenters reported 324 unduplicated individuals served in the pilot’s first six months. TDP has admitted 83 unique individuals since opening; average length of stay at TDP is about 41 days. Presenters said most TDP admissions so far have been direct referrals from defense attorneys and the jail; the TDP waitlist from jail runs at roughly four weeks because TDP has 25 beds.

Program outcomes presented in early data included high rates of connection to continuing care and benefits during and immediately after TDP stays: staff said over 80% of individuals who engaged in TDP services were linked to ongoing care and did not have an emergency department admission for medical or psychiatric reasons in the 30 days after discharge. Presenters also noted that a majority of persons served at TDP were experiencing homelessness and that the majority of TDP clients in the second quarter were Black or African American, reflecting disparities in carceral intersections.

Pilot staff identified early lessons and remaining challenges: securing data-sharing agreements across multiple agencies, aligning referral pathways from PES to housing, and ensuring sufficient permanent supportive housing and case management to prevent reentry to crisis or the criminal legal system. The panel noted the therapeutic diversion model depends on a continuum—clinical triage at PES, short-stay observation beds where appropriate, and then transfer to the TDP once medically stabilized. The panel also described the TDP’s designation as an emergency shelter in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to avoid penalizing clients’ “homeless” status for longer stays.

Committee members asked about involuntary holds and clinical thresholds; presenters replied that current Texas statute restricts which actors can initiate involuntary holds and that expanding other responders’ authority (for example, EMS) has been discussed but would require legislative change. Robert Kingham of the Downtown Austin Community Court said the community court will bring a council item on Thursday’s agenda to extend the community court’s TDP contract term through September and add $300,000 to carry the program through the current fiscal year.

Presenters confirmed the pilot will be evaluated by Dell Medical School and that Integral Care provides quarterly performance reports and hosts quarterly stakeholder meetings. The panel emphasized cross-agency funding is essential to sustain the pilot and that the county and city share responsibility for near-term budget decisions.