County to use grant to fund mental health worker position

The Hays County Sheriff’s office is looking for a social worker who will respond to mental health crisis calls and follow up with patients post hospitalization.

The social worker’s job is designed to provide some relief to the understaffed mental health authority, who provides mental health services to several counties and to provide quicker assistance to individuals in a crisis.

Currently, the mental health authority, Scheib Center and the five mental health deputies respond to crisis calls. However, Scheib is understaffed and handles multiple counties and mental health officers are not on-duty at all times or might be busy handling another situation.