Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SR568 Compare Versions

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1	1	SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 568
2	2	WHEREAS, For the past five years, the Rapid Integrated
3	3	Group Healthcare Team Program (RIGHT Care) has proven to be an
4	4	effective and humane response to mental health emergencies in the
5	5	city of Dallas; and
6	6	WHEREAS, Initially developed by the Communities Foundation
7	7	of Texas with the assistance of a grant from the W. W. Caruth, Jr.
8	8	Fund, RIGHT Care is a partnership of the Dallas Police and
9	9	Fire-Rescue Departments, the Meadows Mental Health Policy
10	10	Institute, and the Parkland Health and Hospital System; these
11	11	organizations work together to shift the response for
12	12	behavioral-related 9-1-1 calls away from law enforcement and to
13	13	paramedics and health care systems; and
14	14	WHEREAS, RIGHT Care seeks to keep those individuals
15	15	experiencing mental health crises out of jails and emergency
16	16	rooms by responding to each crisis with a team that is specially
17	17	trained to de-escalate the situation, stabilize the individual
18	18	on the scene, and either direct them to outpatient resources or
19	19	transport them directly to a behavioral health facility; and
20	20	WHEREAS, Each RIGHT Care team includes a paramedic to
21	21	perform a physical examination and a field assessment of the need
22	22	for emergency treatment, a behavioral health clinician to
23	23	evaluate the individual's mental health and determine their
24	24	needs, and a peace officer to oversee the scene and address law
25	25	enforcement issues; in addition, the 9-1-1 call center retains a
26	26	behavioral health clinician on staff to assist callers
27	27	undergoing a mental health crisis, identify the most appropriate
28	28	response for the caller, and assist the team in the field; since
29	29	its launch as a pilot program in January 2018, RIGHT Care has
30	30	grown to encompass several multidisciplinary teams across
31	31	Dallas, who answered more than 11,000 behavioral crisis calls in
32	32	2021; and
33	33	WHEREAS, This innovative and dynamic program helps free
34	34	peace officers to make the best use of their time and training
35	35	responding to more traditional law enforcement calls, while
36	36	providing citizens who are facing mental health crises with
37	37	effective and compassionate care from skilled and caring
38	38	professionals; now, therefore, be it
39	39	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th
40	40	Legislature, hereby commend the RIGHT Care Program for its
41	41	contributions to mental health care in the community and
42	42	extend to all those associated with the initiative sincere
43	43	best wishes for continued success with their important work;
44	44	and, be it further
45	45	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
46	46	prepared for RIGHT Care as an expression of high regard from the
47	47	Texas Senate.
48	48	Johnson, West
49	49	________________________________
50	50	President of the Senate
51	51	I hereby certify that the
52	52	above Resolution was adopted by
53	53	the Senate on May 18, 2023.
54	54	________________________________
55	55	Secretary of the Senate
56	56	________________________________
57	57	Member, Texas Senate
58	58	________________________________
59	59	Member, Texas Senate