Austin Takes a Hard Look at Mental Health Response
AUSTIN, Texas — It’s been a tough week for Austin as the community grapples with how it responds to calls involving mental health issues. The conversation has been sparked, in part, by a tragic event: former Austin police officer Christopher Taylor was sentenced to two years in prison for taking the life of a man during a response to one of those important mental health calls. Now, the question on everyone’s mind is, “How can we do better?”
Police or Mental Health Professionals?
The Austin Police Association has aimed the spotlight at a growing concern: police officers simply aren’t mental health experts. Many folks, including Aloki Shah, a social worker with Integral Care, are advocating for a different kind of approach when it comes to mental health crises. Shah, who also serves as the President of the United Workers of Integral Care, passionately stated, “They come with a sense of compassion and care, rather than a sense to use any sort of force or make somebody comply.” She emphasized the importance of understanding what the person in crisis really needs.
Staff Shortages Create Challenges
However, it isn’t all smooth sailing. Shah pointed out a significant issue: Integral Care is currently understaffed. Low wages and burnout are taking a toll on the available mental health professionals. The result? They’re not able to respond to as many calls as they could be. According to Shah, if they had a fully-staffed team, they could potentially prevent many mental health crises before they escalate. She shared, “You would have social workers, case managers meeting with folks who do have mental health problems.” The goal is to provide support before things reach a critical point requiring emergency services.
Mobile Crisis Outreach Team: A Step Forward
Integral Care is already making strides with its Expanded Mobile Crisis Outreach Team, which partners with first responders. However, this vital service is limited to specific hours, which leaves gaps in coverage. City Councilmember Ryan Alter has stepped into the conversation, pushing for the program to operate 24/7. To make this happen, he’s proposed a budget increase for hiring more mental health professionals and dispatchers. Alter explained, “We don’t always need a badge and a gun or a paramedic or a firefighter to show up to some of the calls that we’re dispatching them to.” This reevaluation could lead to a more appropriate response to certain situations.
A Growing Need for Professionals
Shah agrees that more mental health professionals are crucial to meet the needs of Austin’s growing population. She insists, “We still need more mental health professionals. We’re a growing city.” It’s clear that there’s a pressing need to expand these teams so they can be effective in what they do.
Exciting Changes on the Horizon
Alter believes that Integral Care could end up hiring somewhere between 10 to 20 new staff members, which would significantly boost their ability to handle mental health calls. He’s optimistic that these changes could be implemented as early as April, suggesting that the city is on the brink of something beneficial.
With these latest conversations and changes in motion, Austin’s approach to mental health emergencies seems to be shifting towards a more compassionate and understanding model. The hope is that by investing in mental health professionals, they can provide immediate help to those in need and potentially save lives. It’s a step in the right direction for a community that genuinely cares.
