National Association of Counties
Harris County has one of the largest jails in Texas. About a quarter of inmates in the jail are on psychotropic medications, making it one of the largest mental health facilities in the state. In 2013, State Senator Joan Huffman (R-Houston) sponsored Texas Senate Bill 1185 (SB 1185), which created a pilot program in Harris County to divert individuals with mental illnesses from the jail. The law appropriates $5 million annually to Harris County, which the county matches equally, to divert individuals from the jail with the goal of reducing arrests and incarceration and increasing access to housing and health and social services.
<p>All matters pertaining to criminal justice and public safety systems, including criminal justice planning, law enforcement, courts, corrections, homeland security, community crime prevention, juvenile justice and delinquency preven
<p>NACo's Opioid Solutions Center empowers local leaders to invest resources in effective treatment, recovery, prevention and harm reduction practices that save lives and address the underlying causes of substance use disorder.
