8/20/2008 5:00:25 AM
A suburban community, Williamson County (pop. 354,000) is located just north of the state capital of Austin and is included in the Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Geologically, the eastern part of the county is level black land soil and the western part, rolling limestone hills.
The 13th most populous county in Texas, the community has a smaller Hispanic population (14%) than Texas as a whole (35%) and is slightly more educated. Slightly more than one-third (37%) of Williamson County residents have earned a college degree, as compared to a quarter (25%) of all Texans.
Williamson County is an affluent community. The county's median household income is $64,000, 50% higher than the state median income of $41,600. Only 7% of county residents live below the poverty level as compared to 16% of all Texans. Williamson County has a diversified economy comprised of agribusiness, education, and high-tech industries.
Workforce shortage issues, though slightly less challenging as in rural areas of Texas, center primarily around issues of funding and staffing.
The Williamson County Commissioners Court recognized the county was not providing adequate mental health services: complaints were on the rise, jail and emergency rooms were overcrowded, and the courts were overwhelmed. In response, the court convened a task force of county stakeholders and charged them with developing a plan to provide mental health services in a cost-effective manner. This task force now serves as the Williamson County Community Collaborative.
The Williamson County Community Collaborative has been meeting for over four years. Members of the collaborative include: county district attorney, county prosecutor, county administrators, county sheriff, area service providers, and local mental health organizations. The task force meets on a monthly basis in closed sessions to review cases, identify problems and propose system improvements. Collaborative members cite mutual respect and not airing grievances in the media as reasons for their success.
The budget for the county's mental health services is $350,000. When possible, the county has accessed state and federal funds, such as Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grants and Tobacco Account Funds. The county general fund supports law enforcement services relating to crisis mental health services.
Goal: To increase communication among consumers, providers, and law enforcement and improve the quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of mental health services.
Plan: To improve communication and mental health services by:
Williamson County will measure success based on:
Williamson County, though still continuing their efforts to improve mental health services, serves as a model for collaboration efforts in Texas. Together, disparate stakeholders have found common ground working together to provide improved mental health services for those in crisis. In 2006 alone, the county implemented mental health service improvements resulting in $1.8 million in cost savings. The Williamson County Collaborative has a proven track record of proposing and implementing cost effective improvements to county mental health services.
Achieving the vision of a transformed Texas mental health system will take collaboration, innovation, and hard work. Each of the eight communities will collaborate with state partner agencies (TWG members), community stakeholders and consumers, and one another to craft solutions to their specific workforce and service challenges. On the path to transformation, these community collaboratives will learn lessons they will be able to share with other Texas communities seeking to transform their own mental health systems.
Kathy Grimes, Asst. to County Williamson County Commissioner
350 Discovery Blvd., Ste 201
Cedar Park, TX
78713
512.260.4280
Kgrimes@wilco.org