TITLE: Recognizing RIGHT Care Program for its contributions to mental health care.

SUMMARY: Recognizing RIGHT Care Program for its contributions to mental health care.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, For the past five years, the Rapid Integrated Group Healthcare Team Program (RIGHT Care) has proven to be an effective and humane response to mental health emergencies in the city of Dallas; and WHEREAS, Initially developed by the Communities Foundation of Texas with the assistance of a grant from the W. W. Caruth, Jr. Fund, RIGHT Care is a partnership of the Dallas Police and Fire-Rescue Departments, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, and the Parkland Health and Hospital System; these organizations work together to shift the response for behavioral-related 9-1-1 calls away from law enforcement and to paramedics and health care systems; and WHEREAS, RIGHT Care seeks to keep those individuals experiencing mental health crises out of jails and emergency rooms by responding to each crisis with a team that is specially trained to de-escalate the situation, stabilize the individual on the scene, and either direct them to outpatient resources or transport them directly to a behavioral health facility; and WHEREAS, Each RIGHT Care team includes a paramedic to perform a physical examination and a field assessment of the need for emergency treatment, a behavioral health clinician to evaluate the individual's mental health and determine their needs, and a peace officer to oversee the scene and address law enforcement issues; in addition, the 9-1-1 call center retains a behavioral health clinician on staff to assist callers undergoing a mental health crisis, identify the most appropriate response for the caller, and assist the team in the field; since its launch as a pilot program in January 2018, RIGHT Care has grown to encompass several multidisciplinary teams across Dallas, who answered more than 11,000 behavioral crisis calls in 2021; and WHEREAS, This innovative and dynamic program helps free peace officers to make the best use of their time and training responding to more traditional law enforcement calls, while providing citizens who are facing mental health crises with effective and compassionate care from skilled and caring professionals; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th Legislature, hereby commend the RIGHT Care Program for its contributions to mental health care in the community and extend to all those associated with the initiative sincere best wishes for continued success with their important work; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be prepared for RIGHT Care as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. Johnson, West President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on May 18, 2023.