Posting Language
Title
Authorize negotiation and execution of Amendment No. 2 to the interlocal agreement with Austin Travis County Mental Health Mental Retardation Center d/b/a Integral Care for the Diversion Pilot, a multi-partner mental health diversion pilot program, to extend the current term of the agreement through December 31, 2026, at no additional cost to the City. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.
De
Lead Department
Community Court.
Fiscal Note
This item has no fiscal impact.
Prior Council Action:
June 5, 2025 - Council approved negotiation and execution of Amendment No. 1 to this agreement to add $300,000 in one-time funding and extend the term of the agreement through September 30, 2025.
May 30, 2024 - Council approved negotiation and execution of an interlocal agreement with Integral Care on an 11-0 vote.
For More Information:
Robert Kingham, Court Administrator, Austin Community Court (512) 974-1394.
Additional Backup Information:
The Mental Health Diversion Pilot (Pilot) is a collaboration between Travis County, Central Health, Integral Care, and Austin Community Court. The Pilot leverages existing programs and facilities to expand community services to immediately address unmet deflection and diversion needs and provide members of the community experiencing behavioral health crises with access services.
The Pilot leverages Integral Care’s Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) program on Airport Blvd. and repurposes Integral Care’s 15th Street crisis residential program, located in a City-owned facility, for a Therapeutic Respite Center (TRP) to help address the following persistent challenges in our community:
1. Law enforcement and other emergency service entities do not have a consistent place to take individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis for services. As a result, individuals are taken to jail or a hospital, which are often not the appropriate setting to address a behavioral health crisis.
2. Individuals continually cycle in and out of jail, hospitals, and/or homelessness because there is no dedicated pathway for this population to concurrently receive extended clinical behavioral health treatment in a residential setting while being connected to long-term supportive housing.
The Pilot expands service hours at PES to 24/7 operations including access to a prescriber onsite and 23-hour observation services. PES services are run by Integral Care, and funded by Central Health and Travis County.
The TRP component of the Pilot provides access to up to 90 days of care including behavioral health services, peer support, and working toward connection to stable exit options through housing-focused case management services. TRP is funded through Travis County and the City of Austin.
Approval of this item would allow Community Court to support continuation of this program. There is still funding capacity within the existing contract to sustain the program through 2026 due to cost savings and other grant funding resources Integral Care has been able to identify.
Amendment No. 1 added one-time funding in an amount not to exceed $300,000 and extended the term of the agreement through September 30, 2025.
The original agreement was approved for an initial 13-month term in an amount up to $1,700,000 for costs associated with the TRP component of the Pilot, including housing-focused case management, peer support services, and other operational expenses.