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County officials say Applewhite dual‑diagnosis beds sit idle because psych‑medication funding is unresolved; staff proposes short‑term $60,000 fix
Summary
County and health officials told commissioners that the Applewhite dual‑diagnosis facility has empty capacity because psychotropic medication for residents is not yet funded in a way that meets requirements; staff proposed using opioid settlement funds for an interim $60,000 medication purchase to start moving about 100 eligible people into the facility.
County leaders raised a specific operational barrier for the Applewhite dual‑diagnosis facility during the April 28 meeting: clinic space and beds are available, but access to psychotropic medication funding for residents has prevented transfers from the jail.
Jarvis Anderson, director of Bexar County Community Division & Corrections, said the facility has roughly 130 beds but cannot begin full operations because psych medications must be funded in specific ways for that treatment setting. "The issue that we discovered from all of this is psych meds. That's the main holdup for us," Anderson said. He said security, food, and counseling staffing are manageable but medication coverage at the necessary level and billing pathway remains unresolved.
Dr. Andrea Guerrero told commissioners the county’s short‑term fix could be to buy initial medication supplies through opioid settlement dollars at an estimated cost of about $60,000; that purchase would allow staff to move an estimated 100 people from jail-to‑Applewhite over the next three to four months while the county negotiates a longer‑term funding arrangement with state partners and health providers. Commissioners asked staff to return with a specific budget request and implementation timeline.
