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Crossroads leaders ask state for mental health funding

Victoria Advocate - 1/23/2017

Jan. 23--Victoria leaders are trying to gain support at the Capitol for their idea to better address mental health needs in a rural community.

Victoria County Chief Deputy Roy Boyd and Gulf Bend Center Executive Director Jeff Tunnell met Wednesday with the staff of State Rep. Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria, and State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham.

They also met with State Rep. Four Price, R-Amarillo, who served as the chair of the House Select Committee on Mental Health for the 84th Legislature. Jackson County Sheriff A.J. Louderback joined them.

Boyd and Tunnell want to secure an estimated $11.6 million in the state's budget for a four-year plan the Gulf Bend Community Collaborative has proposed.

The Collaborative's plan calls for 14 mental health deputies, 12 mental health case workers and four supervisors to respond to mental health crises and build rapport with people with mental illnesses. They would be available 24/7 in the seven-county area. The goal is to divert people with mental illnesses from jails and reduce recidivism.

Leo Rios, who led most of the meetings to construct the plan, resigned from the Victoria County Sheriff's Office in December but is still involved with the Collaborative, said Ward Wyatt, a sheriff's office spokesman.

"There's no doubt about that," Wyatt said. "He was instrumental in leading the meetings and putting the plan together."

Wednesday, Boyd and Tunnell sought feedback from legislators.

"This will always be a work in progress," Tunnell said after the visit to the Capitol. "Of course, they have a lot of people at their door asking for money, and it's going to be a tight legislative session, but they understand and recognize the need."

Kolkhorst wrote via email that she's working with Morrison this session to get resources to the Collaborative and appreciates the Collaborative's and law enforcement's suggestions "to see that every mental health dollar is spent efficiently."

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(c)2017 Victoria Advocate (Victoria, Texas)

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