On Dec. 7, the specialized mental health response team operating in unincorporated Bexar County and its 26 suburban cities received the Government Project of the Year award from the organization Alamo Area Council of Governments.

A news release said the team is commonly known by its acronym S.M.A.R.T., which stands for Standardized Multidisciplinary Alternate Response Team.

Speakers at an AACOG ceremony noted the continued need for mental health resources. The initiative taken by the Bexar County Commissioners Court in 2020 was recognized as a model for other counties, the release said.

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said the local residents deserve a quality mental health response.

“Putting someone in jail when they are experiencing a mental health crisis does not help them. S.M.A.R.T. changed that. Today, we offer comprehensive services so people can get the help that they need,” Wolff said in a statement.

According to the release, Bexar County partnered with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, the Center for Health Care Services, Acadian Ambulance Service, and the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council to design a model for mental health first response for individuals who experience a crisis, paired with a follow-up program.

In an emergency, the team will be dispatched from information gathered during a 911 call. Otherwise, the team can be requested for a mental health response via the nonemergency number, 210-335-6000.

The release said 80% of S.M.A.R.T. clients had not been connected with resources prior to the team’s response. Since its inception in 2020, there have been no incidents of excessive use of force during calls in which the team was involved.

County officials said the intent here is to avoid incarceration of individuals who experience a mental health emergency. Instead, clients will be connected to appropriate resources to help them not only in the moment, but also stabilize them long term.

“This is fantastic. I am very happy for the members of the team who work so passionately in this field, and I am happy for our partners to receive recognition for putting together this nationally recognized model,” county Criminal Justice Director Mike Lozito said about the award.