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Local mental‑health providers urge Lake Jackson leaders to formalize response; council and staff outline next steps
Summary
A Lake Jackson mental‑health provider described multiple incidents she said showed inconsistent police response to people in crisis. Council and staff pledged further training, an investigation into officer conduct and work to place a contracted behavioral-health professional with the police department.
A local certified clinical mental‑health counselor raised concerns at the May 5 Lake Jackson City Council meeting about what she called inconsistent responses by Lake Jackson police officers to people in mental‑health crisis and asked the council and staff to work with county partners to create a clearer, safer process.
The speaker identified herself as a certified clinical mental‑health counselor (Miss Melvis) and said she has run a practice in the area since 2020 and is opening an intensive outpatient program. She described multiple episodes where she said a person she believed to be an imminent danger was not picked up or was later released and returned to her office, leaving her worried about safety. "When my clients tell me, I'm going to kill myself, and I have thousands of hours of experience, I'm going to believe them," she told council. She also said…
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