In an effort to reduce incarceration rates and increase rehabilitation for low-level offenders who have mental health conditions, substance abuse issues or are experiencing homelessness, the San Antonio City Council voted to fund $30,000 of a $100,000 study to create the Bexar Jail Diversion Center on Feb. 11.
The City Council also voted to form an ad hoc committee composed of city and county officials, and housing and local nongovernment organizations to lead the effort.
The big picture
According to city documents, the ad hoc committee will bring together local government, health and housing organizations to create an alternative to jail, which will help bring down the San Antonio Police Department’s workload, reduce daily bookings tied to mental health and substance abuse, and create a lower recidivism rate overall.
The creation of the diversion center will be based upon a study by Alexander Testa, the research and consultant leading study, which will collect operational standards and workflows from diversion centers in other counties, such as Harris, Tarrant and Dallas counties, and use the information to develop a model tailored to Bexar County’s needs. Testa’s team will give regular reports to the ad hoc committee, city documents state. The study will also create a schedule and implementation framework for the center.
Currently, the daily cost of an inmate in Bexar County is $1,750 a day per inmate, while Harris County’s diversion program costs $510 a day per patient. The estimated savings of implementing the Jail Diversion Center is $1,240 a day per individual.
District 5 council member Teri Castillo said the diversion center will create better pathways for low-level offenders.
"It's that aftercare component in the case management piece that's going to ensure that folks do not re-offend and we don't see them in the same cycle,” Castillo said.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said creating a center was critical for the well-being of residents.
“I think something needs to be done. And ... something like this is probably long overdue,” McManus said.
The Diversion Center will:
- Provide an alternative to jail
- Offer a therapeutic drop-off site for adults who encounter law enforcement
- Provide treatments for low-level misdemeanors who have behavioral health needs
- Create a person-centered and trauma-informed approach to care
- Have a focus on stabilization, psychosocial services, prevention of relapse and recovery
Zooming in
