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Sheriffs of the Coastal Bend recognize that the current model of handling
mental health patients in crisis is not acceptable. The criminalization of
mental health patients who are overwhelmingly arrested for minor, non-
violent offenses are placed in a cycle that does not provide proper treatment
for the cause of their behavior.
It is the belief of the Sheriffs of the Coastal Bend that there must be a better
way to handle those suffering from mental health crisis. For this reason,
Sheriffs of the Coastal Bend, along with Gulf Bend and other community
partners, have come together to find an acceptable solution that will be of
benefit to the citizens of our region.
As a result of our desire to find a solution to this growing problem, the Gulf
Bend Community Collaborative was formed. From this Collaborative, we
have provided what we view as a viable pilot project for the proper handling
of mental health patients in our communities. The plan titled Mental Health
Law Enforcement Officers and Case Workers For the Gulf Bend Region is the
articulation of our attempt to create a solution that faces not only the
Coastal Bend, but much of rural Texas.
Today we find ourselves one step closer to the passage of the Gulf Bend
Collaborative Plan. The support from our local Sheriffs speaks to how critical
it is to pass this plan. We appreciate their dedication to the service of our
communities and their desire to provide appropriate service options that will
prevent the incarceration of non-violent persons suffering from mental health
issues in rural Texas, said Chief Deputy Roy Boyd of the Victoria County
Sheriffs Office.
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