HOUSTON – The Harris County Public Health department, in partnership with Houston’s health department, will launch two programs in March aimed at addressing the root causes of crime. The county is spending $11 million on these pilot programs, which will initially target the Cypress Station area of the county and the Sunnyside area of the city.
One program involves sending specialized teams to certain 911 calls. Holistic Assistance Response Teams, HART, will help ease law enforcement’s burden by responding to those calls that don’t involve violence or require a police officer. HART teams will work with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office to determine which calls do not require a law enforcement response.
“The HART teams will consist of trained social workers, behavioral health, medical professionals who can provide appropriate response to folks experiencing homelessness, behavioral health issues, mental health crises or other non-emergency, non-violent social issues,” said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.
HART would send public health staff instead of law enforcement to nonviolent calls involving issues like mental health, homelessness, and substance abuse.
Hidalgo said the $5 million program would help free up law enforcement resources and help avoid unnecessary police interactions.
“Health-based first responders have a proven track record for making communities safer by getting the right resources to people immediately and free up law enforcement time for serious crimes. This is an effective, common-sense approach to make our community safer and stronger,” said Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, whose Office championed the establishment of these programs within Harris County Public Health.
The second program, the Gun Violence Interruption Program (modeled after the Cure Violence program) would cost the county $6 million and connect case workers with people at risk of offending. The casework will provide mental health support, substance abuse treatment, employment support, and support to exit gangs, according to Hidalgo.
This involves sending ‘violence interrupters’ into communities and hospitals to work on the root causes of violence.
Harris County Public Health Executive Director Barbie Robinson said this means addressing everything from food insecurity, to economic instability or a lack of educational opportunities.
Robinson said the goal is to eventually expand these teams to several parts of the city and county.
KPRC 2 first reported on these initiatives in November.
The two programs would be managed by Harris County Public Health and will both begin in March, focused on the Cypress Station and Sunnyside areas.