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Court moves ahead with HEART funding and a new RFP as advocates push in-house tracking and expansion
Summary
Commissioners approved a procurement step for HEART services and discussed parallel work to bring data and some services in-house; the procurement process will use an evaluation panel representing public health, sheriff's office, Harris Health and community services.
The court considered a procurement item related to the HEART (hospital-emergency alternatives and response team) program and heard a briefing on the RFP process and evaluation committee. Purchasing staff said the solicitation went live and was set to close in roughly three to four weeks, with a cross-departmental evaluation panel that included public-health, Harris Health, the sheriff’s office and community-services representatives. Commissioners emphasized two parallel tracks: issuing an RFP for an external vendor while building internal capacity for data tracking and eventual in-house production of some HEART functions.
Speakers and commissioners stressed that HEART aims to divert people from emergency and jail settings by providing crisis response, language-access supports and social services. Commissioners moved the procurement item forward; the court also approved a separate HEART funding/contract item on the consent/regular agenda with a 3–1 vote on funding as presented. Staff committed to share panel membership and scoring details publicly and to return with vendor finalist recommendations after presentations and best-and-final offers.
