Issues & Eggs – Innovative Approaches: Mental Health Diversion in Travis County

Join Downtown Austin Alliance with guest speakers from Travis Country for a conversation on improving outcomes through mental health diversion solutions.
Learn more about the launch of Travis County´s Mental Health Diversion Pilot and planning efforts toward the creation of a permanent Mental Health Diversion Center. The pilot will leverage existing behavioral health services, contracts and facilities to expand and bolster resources. Our panel of experts has been deeply involved in planning efforts, having conducted site visits in Miami, Nashville, Houston and Tuscon and more to understand diversion center best practices.
Innovative approaches in the pilot are expected to improve public safety outcomes and create a healthier community. A traditional approach to criminal justice can lead to poor public safety outcomes as individuals are cycled repeatedly through the criminal justice system without addressing their needs. Travis County Mental Health Diversion is designed to break the cycle of the criminal justice system and will be integral to helping people with mental health diagnoses receive proper care and services.
Speakers Include:
Andy Brown, Judge, Travis County Commissioners Court
Ann Howard, Travis County Commissioner
Sally Hernandez, Travis County Sheriff
Moderated by: Tamara Needles – Presiding Judge of the 427th District Court, Chair of the Behavioral Health Criminal Justice Advisory Committee

About Issues & Eggs
The Downtown Austin Alliance´s Issues & Eggs series is back and better than ever. We’re bringing experts to the breakfast table to provide perspective on the challenges downtown faces. Join us as we unscramble complex issues one community conversation at a time.