SAN ANTONIO — Bexar County leaders want to expand a program aimed at helping people with mental health issues.
The county says its SMART Program, which stands for Specialized Multidisciplinary Alternate Response Team, could help hundreds of people without getting officers involved.
Dressed in green shirts, driving in a vehicle with emergency lights, response teams will respond to mental health 9-1-1 calls with mental health professionals, a paramedic, and a specially trained mental health deputy.
"They have a very soft approach," Mike Lozito, director of the county's Office of Criminal Justice said.
In a presentation to county commissioners, the SMART program says it saved over 2,300 hours of patrol time.
“You have these calls, over five hundred and no excessive use of force, and we haven’t arrested anybody that's asked for help,” Lozito said.
Lozito is estimating nearly 1,500 calls annually with the proposed expansion of services. The service would be available 24/7 if approved.
The proposed expansion would double the existing four response teams that respond.
Lozito says each situation is different. They're not sure if it could've helped in instances like with Damian Daniels--a combat veteran who was shot and killed by Bexar County Sheriff's deputies in September, a month before the program started.
"On the last call, it may not have...It wasn't the first time the police officers had been out there, deputies to a certain location. And our thing is to make that right person, right response is very important the first time," Lozito said.
The count is reviewing the proposed expansion which would cost an extra $3.6 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Lozito says the approach keeps officers focused on emergencies while people can get the help they need.
"You start looking at time savings for officers, because they weren't there for 45 minutes to an hour to address [a call]," Lozito adds.
He says the teams will also provide follow-ups with individuals to ensure they get the services they need.
"With mental health, it's not a one-time solution to that. It's not the broken arm, then put a cast on and heal it. It's a life-long journey," Lozito adds.
The county is reviewing the proposal as part of its upcoming budget which is set to be voted on next month.
For more information, you can check out the program's website.