This podcast contains comments from the December 28, 2022 Brazos County commission meeting.

Brazos County commissioners will be investigating whether to establish another specialty court...one dealing with people who have mental health issues.

Before commissioners voted to hold a workshop with stakeholders, they heard from district judge Kyle Hawthorne, who says the concept is new to him.

Hawthorne says one of the things that has to be done, is quantify the number of potential mental health cases in the local courts.

Hawthorne says the local MHMR office is the only provider of mental health services for the local courts.

And it's taking two to three years to complete a mental competency evaluation.

Hawthorne says it is a good idea, but the underlying issue is finding the money to hire mental health professionals.

Commissioners received support for a mental health court from a parent who has taken care of a 37 year old child with mental illness for 25 years.