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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Houston Police Department formed a Mental Health |
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Unit in 2007 to develop, implement, and manage the department's |
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multifaceted specialized response strategies for individuals in |
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serious mental health crises; and |
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WHEREAS, The Mental Health Unit is now a state and national |
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model, having trained the first group of Crisis Intervention Team |
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officers in the San Antonio and Austin Police Departments, as well |
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as numerous law enforcement officers and mental health |
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professionals across the state and nation; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2010, Houston became one of six police |
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departments nationally to be designated as a Learning Site by the |
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United States Council of State Governments; as such, the department |
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provides crisis intervention training and educational materials to |
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law enforcement officers and mental health personnel from across |
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the country and hosts site visits for them to learn about its |
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programs; and |
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WHEREAS, The Mental Health Unit has collaborated with |
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criminal justice, mental health, and advocacy organizations in |
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Houston and throughout Harris County to develop a number of |
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state-of-the-art programs; among them are the Crisis Intervention |
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Response Team, which pairs a Houston Mental Health Peace Officer |
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with a licensed professional counselor from the Mental Health |
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Mental Retardation Authority of Harris County to provide a highly |
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specialized response to individuals in the most serious mental |
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health crises, and the Chronic Consumer Stabilization Initiative, a |
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proactive program to keep chronic consumers out of crisis with |
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intensive case management; this initiative, which has reduced the |
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number of calls-for-service to individuals on its caseload by as |
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much as 70 percent, was recognized with the prestigious 2010 |
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International Association of Chiefs of Police Community Policing |
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Award and was a finalist for the Herman Goldstein Award for |
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Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2011, the Mental Health Unit implemented a |
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Homeless Outreach Team with the mission of improving the lives of |
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homeless Houstonians and reducing their numbers by helping them |
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overcome the barriers that keep them homeless; during its first two |
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years, the Homeless Outreach Team found housing for more than 200 |
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homeless individuals and referred over 1,000 individuals to local |
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service providers, thereby connecting them with physical and mental |
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health care; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to these endeavors, the City of Houston |
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collaborated with community organizations to open the Houston |
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Center for Sobriety, a facility closely aligned with the Houston |
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Police Department's Mental Health Unit, and the unit's manager, |
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Lieutenant Mike Lee, was instrumental in its design, development, |
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and implementation; the center serves as an alternative to jail for |
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people who are publicly intoxicated, as they can remain in the |
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facility until sober; they are subsequently counseled for alcohol |
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and substance abuse problems and provided with referral information |
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for follow-up counseling and treatment; and |
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WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Chief of Police Charles |
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A. McClelland, Jr., Executive Assistant Chief Timothy |
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N. Oettmeier, and Mental Health Unit Manager Lieutenant Michael |
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A. Lee, the Houston Police Department's Mental Health Unit |
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continues to exemplify excellence and innovation through |
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collaboration and commitment; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend the Houston Police Department's Mental |
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Health Unit for its service to the community, mental health |
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professionals, and the criminal justice system and extend to all |
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those associated with the unit sincere best wishes for continued |
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success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the unit as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Walle |
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J. Davis of Harris |
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S. Davis of Harris |
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Elkins |
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Harless |
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Hernandez Luna |
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Vo |
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| Straus |
M. Gonzalez of El Paso |
Oliveira |
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| Allen |
N. Gonzalez of El Paso |
Orr |
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| Anderson |
Gutierrez |
Patrick |
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| Aycock |
Harper-Brown |
Perry |
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| Bell |
Hernandez Luna |
Phillips |
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| Bonnen of Brazoria |
Hilderbran |
Pitts |
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| Bonnen of Galveston |
Howard |
Price |
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| Capriglione |
Keffer |
Rodriguez of Bexar |
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| Carter |
King of Hemphill |
Rodriguez of Travis |
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| Clardy |
King of Parker |
Rose |
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| Coleman |
King of Taylor |
Sanford |
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| Collier |
King of Zavala |
Schaefer |
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| Cortez |
Klick |
Sheffield of Bell |
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| Craddick |
Kolkhorst |
Sheffield of Coryell |
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| Crownover |
Kuempel |
Simpson |
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| Davis of Dallas |
Lavender |
Springer |
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| J. Davis of Harris |
Leach |
Stephenson |
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| S. Davis of Harris |
Lewis |
Stickland |
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| Dutton |
Lucio III |
Thompson of Brazoria |
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| Eiland |
Marquez |
Thompson of Harris |
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| Fallon |
Martinez Fischer |
Turner of Collin |
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| Farias |
McClendon |
Turner of Harris |
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| Farney |
Menendez |
Turner of Tarrant |
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| Fletcher |
Miller of Comal |
Villarreal |
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| Flynn |
Miller of Fort Bend |
Vo |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1248 was adopted by the House on April |
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4, 2013, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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