Hi! I'm Epiphany La'Sha, your Neighborhood Reporter for Killeen, Temple, and Belton.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

It calls for a person to be available to respond 24/7 -- going far beyond what the current mental health hotline could offer.

"What we find is the hotline is only effective for the folks who have that 1-800 number in their pocket," said James Arnold, Director of Behavioral Health, Central Health County Services.

With 9-1-1 easier to remember than a hotline . A grant will help pay for mental health professionals to work with local police responding to a mental health call.

The goal is to keep people out of jail and instead help them get the help they need.

"Sometimes when we arrive at a scene we realize its a mental health issue and we have no other options so we either take them to jail or take them to the hospital or try do an emergency order of detention," said Pedro Lopez, Killeen Chief of Police.

Lopez says several factors come into play when knowing if a mental health officer is needed on a call.

"Suicidal ideation, the threat of harm, depression, PTSD -- we also look at how many times police has been dispatched either to the location or the person that has requested help," he said.

Sometimes concerned family members will make the call -- the program is already underway.

Mental health officers expect to join KPD on the road in October.

"The individuals goes through online and in person training that takes approximately two to three months," Arnold said.

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