Reimagining Justice: Exploring Texas Innovations in Mental Health

In this episode, we are joined by Wesley Patton, the Blanco County Emergency Services Department Community Paramedic Captain. He tells us about the Community Paramedic Program, a unique program in Blanco County that dispatches paramedics to deescalate mental health crisis calls when necessary.

If you have an innovation in mental health that you'd like to see on the podcast, email [email protected] with the subject line "Reimagining Justice."

*Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the JCMH, the Supreme Court of Texas, or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The material and information presented here are for general information purposes only.

In this episode, we are joined by Daniela Chisolm, an Assistant El Paso County Attorney & Senior Trial Attorney in the Mental Health Litigation Unit, and Dr. Patricia Ortiz, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso. This innovative program is a collaboration between TTUHSC El Paso and the El Paso County Attorney's Office

If you have an innovation in mental health that you'd like to see on the podcast, email [email protected] with the subject line "Reimagining Justice."

*Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the JCMH, the Supreme Court of Texas, or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The material and information presented here are for general information purposes only.

In this episode, we are joined by Judge Matt Hand, the Potter County Court #2 Presiding Judge, and Josh Crawford, the Director of Panhandle Regional Specialty Courts. The Panhandle Regional Problem Solving Court is a unique mental health court because it can pull participants from more than 20 counties in Texas.

If you have an innovation in mental health that you'd like to see on the podcast, email [email protected] with the subject line "Reimagining Justice."

*Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the JCMH, the Supreme Court of Texas, or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The material and information presented here are for general information purposes only.

In this episode, we are joined by Devon Anderson,

If you have an innovation in mental health that you'd like to see on the podcast, email [email protected] with the subject line "Reimagining Justice."

*Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the JCMH, the Supreme Court of Texas, or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The material and information presented here are for general information purposes only.

In this episode, we are joined by Judge of Tarrant County Criminal Court 8 Hon. Chuck Vanover, Program Manager Courtney Young, and Caser Manager Sydney Howard. They tell us about the Tarrant County Public Safety Employees Treatment Court. The program is designed to divert eligible public safety employees out of the traditional criminal justice process and into appropriate rehabilitative alternatives.

If you have an innovation in mental health that you'd like to see on the podcast, email [email protected] with the subject line "Reimagining Justice."

*Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the JCMH, the Supreme Court of Texas, or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The material and information presented here are for general information purposes only.

In this episode, we are joined by Travis County District Attorney José Garza. He tells us about the Travis County Transformation Project, a pre-arrest, community-based pilot program for 15 to 16-year-olds involved with family violence in the home.

In this episode, our guests talk about a video shown to families before they decide to join the program. You can view it here.

If you have an innovation in mental health that you'd like to see on the podcast, email [email protected] with the subject line "Reimagining Justice."

*Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the JCMH, the Supreme Court of Texas, or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The material and information presented here are for general information purposes only.

In this episode, we are joined by JCMH Collaborative Councilmember Dr. Sandra Smith, the Vice President of Via Hope, and Abena Asante, a Senior Program Officer at St. David's Foundation. They tell us about the Libraries for Health initiative. This program places peer support specialists in public libraries in eight different Central Texas communities.

In this episode, our guests talk about a "Storybook" which you can find here.

If you have an innovation in mental health that you'd like to see on the podcast, email [email protected] with the subject line "Reimagining Justice."

*Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the JCMH, the Supreme Court of Texas, or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The material and information presented here are for general information purposes only.

In this episode, we are joined by JCMH Collaborative Councilmember Sergeant Shawn Edwards, the lead of the Burleson County Sheriff's Office Crisis Intervention Team. He tells us about the county's diversion program and his experience starting the program in a rural community.

If you have an innovation in mental health that you'd like to see on the podcast, email [email protected] with the subject line "Reimagining Justice."

*Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the JCMH, the Supreme Court of Texas, or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The material and information presented here are for general information purposes only.

In this episode, we are joined by two JCMH Commissioners: Denise Oncken, the Mental Health Bureau Chief at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, and Wayne Young, the Chief Executive Officer of The Harris Center for mental Health and IDD. They introduce us to the Harris County Diversion Center, which just celebrated its 5th year.

If you have an innovation in mental health that you'd like to see on the podcast, email [email protected] with the subject line "Reimagining Justice."

*Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the JCMH, the Supreme Court of Texas, or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The material and information presented here are for general information purposes only.

In this episode, we are joined by Lee Pierson, JCMH Commissioner and Dallas County District Attorney’s Office Mental Health Division Chief. He introduces us to the Pretrial Intervention Program in Dallas County, a series of conditions a defendant with a mental health concern can meet to ultimately have their case dismissed.

If you have an innovation in mental health that you'd like to see on the podcast, email [email protected] with the subject line "Reimagining Justice."

*Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker’s own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of the JCMH, the Supreme Court of Texas, or the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The material and information presented here are for general information purposes only.