The Texas Legislature requires, starting September 1, 2020, all Texas Jails to expand inmate access to Mental Health care. Watch this video to see just how easy it is to be in compliance and provide appropriate care.
The final Texas Commission on Jail Standards Plan requires jails to “provide procedures that shall give inmates the ability to access a mental health professional at the jail or through a telemental health service 24 hours a day and approved by the Commission by August 31, 2020. If a mental health professional is not present at the county jail at the time or available by tememental health services, then require the jail to provide the inmate access to, at a minimum, a qualified mental health professional within a reasonable time…”
CBH offers daily access to Qualified Mental Health Professionals 12 hours a day (7am to 7pm), 365 days a year by video conference. This level of access meets the “reasonable time” requirement as well as the generally accepted standard of how quickly to provide access to a Qualified Mental Health Professional.
Telemental Health Service continues to be the best option for county jails in that it:
- Quickly provides assessments and guidance to facility personnel
- Provides for expanded hours of services when needed
- Decreases negative events in the jail such as assaults on staff
- Eliminates security risks of transportation
- Eliminates the personnel costs of transportation
- Provides clear medical record documentation
- Decreases County Liability
CBH offers a flat monthly fee for unlimited usage, including installation and maintenance of telemental health video conference equipment.