HOUSTON -- A lack of funding and bed space is causing our jail and court system to become overloaded with people who need treatment far more than they need to be in a jail cell. Local 2 investigative reporter Robert Arnold also explained why treating the mentally ill through the criminal justice system is a costly burden to taxpayers.

Every month more than 1,700 people locked up in the Harris County jail are suffering from a mental illness, making it the largest mental health care facility in the state.

"Some of them don't even know they're here and I think that's very sad," said Chief Deputy Mike Smith of the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Some inmates are violent, others have been arrested for petty crimes like loitering, vagrancy or trespassing. Since there is a lack of bed space in Harris County, police are forced to take them to the jail.

"Often time people are arrested for issues that may well have been addressed better in another setting," said Dr. Michael Seale of the Harris County Sheriff's Office. "It's unfortunate that setting may not be available."

The problem of the mentally ill filling jail cells became so great in Harris County the sheriff's department created a special mental health unit. Inmates with mental illness are kept in special cells, overseen by an elite group of deputies who undergo more than a hundred hours of specialized training. Doctors and nurses from the Mental Health Mental Retardation Authority oversee inmate treatment and prescribe medication. Inmates even get one-on-one counseling.

"A significant portion of the inmates that we see have only received their treatment when they were incarcerated," said Dr. Philip Farley of the Mental Health Mental Retardation Authority of Harris County.

Jail is an expensive way to treat the mentally ill. It costs $65 a day to house an inmate. It costs $132 a day to house an inmate in the mental health unit. And that doesn't include medication, transport and court costs.

"The criminal justice system should not be the primary provider of psychiatric medical care," Harris County Judge Jan Krocker said.

Krocker said about a third of the people charged in criminal court are mentally ill.

"I'm supposed to know about blood spatters and ballistics and understand criminal law, yet a huge portion of my job deals with the mentally ill," said Krocker.

The problem is made worse in downtown Houston because the jail begins releasing inmates, even those with mental illness, at 12:01 a.m.

"Once they walk out our back door, they're no longer our responsibility," said Smith.

Local 2 Investigates sat from across from the jail at midnight and watched as many inmates released had nowhere to go. Some wandered around, others headed off into the dark, while others just went to sleep right outside the jail. For those who are mentally ill, they leave the jail with a prescription and instructions on where to go to apply for treatment, but at midnight no pharmacies in downtown are open and homeless shelters are closed. What happens is many get re-arrested for petty crimes before the sun is even up.

"We've released them and they've been back in within an hour, didn't even get a block from the jail," said Smith.

"There's not much you can do at 12:30 at night but get in trouble," said Sonya Heller, whose been in and out of jail and prison for the last 17 years.

Heller said she knows all too well the struggles that come with being released at midnight with a mental illness and being an alcoholic.

"And you just gave up?" asked Arnold

"Yeah, let's go get drunk, have a beer," said Heller. "And it's right there on the corner."

"That's the problem. You can get the beer easier than you can get medicine," said Arnold.

"Oh, way easier," said Heller.

Heller did get her life on track through a new program that works with mentally ill jail inmates -- a program that could save taxpayers millions of dollars a year, but is struggling to find the funds to keep going.

The mayor's office told Local 2 Investigates that the city is now hiring two clinicians to work with the Houston Police Department's Mental Health Unit. We showed you how officers with this unit will pick up the same mentally ill people over and over again. These clinicians will now to go the homes of the individuals who repeatedly get picked up by police and work with them for 60 to 90 days to make sure they are getting the mental health services they need.

More Information:

Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority of Harris County
Anyone in a psychiatric emergency or in need of information can call 713-970-7000 or 866-970-4770.
If the person voluntarily seeks treatment, he or she may call or go to the Neuro-Psychiatric Center (MHMRA), located at 1502 Taub Loop, 713-970-7070, or Ben Taub General Hospital (HCHD), located at 1504 Taub Loop, 713-793-2000. Both of these facilities are in the Texas Medical Center.
The University of Texas Harris County Psychiatric Center
If you or someone you love needs help with mental illness or general counseling, please call our facility for a confidential assessment. We want to help you or assist you in locating the right source. We can be reached at 713-500-8800.