By: Moncrief S.R. No. 392 99S0697/2 SENATE RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The number of persons with mental illnesses in local 1-2 jails is significantly higher than those in state mental hospitals; 1-3 and 1-4 WHEREAS, Persons with mental illnesses frequently cycle in 1-5 and out of jails on a variety of misdemeanor charges; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Jails are oftentimes ill-equipped to provide 1-7 appropriate treatment and intervention to persons with mental 1-8 illnesses; and 1-9 WHEREAS, Law enforcement and the criminal justice system are 1-10 utilized to respond to a mental health crisis due to expediency 1-11 rather than appropriateness; and 1-12 WHEREAS, Civil outpatient commitments are inconsistently 1-13 utilized by the mental health system and the courts; now, 1-14 therefore, be it 1-15 RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, 76th 1-16 Legislature, that a study be conducted by the Texas Council on 1-17 Offenders with Mental Impairments on strategies to reduce the use 1-18 of jails as a mental health treatment provider, that the study 1-19 examine current incarceration practices and arrest rates of persons 1-20 with mental illnesses, as well as the feasibility of establishing a 1-21 regional mental health detention facility as a pilot, and that the 1-22 study include information on utilizing existing facilities, funding 1-23 strategies, and other operational issues required to implement such 2-1 a facility.