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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 an officer's response included what she described as a smirk and demeaning treatment when she sought transport for a client.
City Manager Modesto Mundo and council members acknowledged the seriousness of the complaints and described steps already underway. Modesto said staff had met with Brazoria County mental‑health deputies and proposed contracting My Community Health Network to provide a behavioral‑health specialist who would work with the police department. "They would be a contractor that we would pay, for part of their salary, and they would be working with, with our police department," Modesto said during the meeting. Council noted the city has budgeted funds this year toward such a program.
Police and county personnel also attended the meeting and discussed the constraints officers face under current law and training. Sergeant Shane Vandergrift (Brazoria County mental‑health professional) reviewed the cases and recommended refresher training and a checklist of questions officers can use when a clinician or family member is present to provide additional information. Council and staff said the city will continue refresher training for officers, pursue formalized coordination with county mental‑health personnel, and work on a contract arrangement with a community mental‑health provider that could be housed with the police department for quicker response and follow‑up.
No formal ordinance or vote resulted from the public comment; council accepted the presentation and instructed staff to continue work on training, coordination and the contractor approach. Staff also said it had opened an internal review of the officer conduct cited by the speaker.
Why this matters: Providers, police and families told the council that gaps in procedure, training and resources can create situations that put residents and responders at risk. Council and staff described practical next steps including refresher training, a contractor-based co-responder model and further coordination with county mental-health deputies.
Next steps and clarifications: Staff said they would bring the county and My Community Health Network into formal conversations, pursue officer refresher training (county-provided), and examine dispatch/response protocols; staff also confirmed the city budget contains funds earmarked to support a behavioral-health resource this year.
Provenance: The public comment began at approximately 45 minutes into the meeting (transcript ~2711.885) and the council discussion and staff responses continue through the following hour of the meeting (see transcript entries ~2711.885 to ~5215.195).
