Austin County, like most rural counties, lacks adequate mental health care resources, but area law enforcement agencies are working with providers to help bridge the gap.

Mental health experts from Texana Center partner with certified mental health deputies and officers to get people suffering a crisis the care they need rather than sending them to jail, said Texana CEO Shena Ureste.

“There are folks (with mental illnesses) sitting in jails right now,” Ureste said. “That’s why these mental health deputies are so critical.”

The Austin County Sheriff’s Office as well as Sealy and San Felipe police departments each employ one mental health deputy or officer, while Bellville PD has two. State law requires all peace officers to take 40 hours of mental health training, but certified mental health deputies receive an additional 24 hours of crisis intervention training provided by the Texas Commis-