Government
BY MELISSA ENAJE
Harris County approves countywide expansion of nonviolent 911 program
By the numbers
With 11 HART teams operating in northwest Har- ris County, the expansion will add at least 18 sta positions funded within the county’s public health division as a budget-neutral item. The program will cost an estimated $6.6 million in Fiscal Year 2025-26, county o cials said. “The idea that Commissioners Court would fund this program out of the general fund to enable that sustainability, and have the people be county employees, just represents a commitment from Commissioners Court to this method,” Barton said.
Harris County’s nonviolent 911 response program was approved for countywide implementation by Harris County commissioners in a 3-1 vote Aug. 7. Harris County Public Health’s Community Health and Violence Prevention Services Division rst launched the Holistic Assistance Response Team or HART, in 2022 for those experiencing a social welfare crisis. HART works with the Harris County Sheri’s Oce and dispatches unarmed rst responder teams trained in behavioral health and on- scene medical assistance to nonviolent 911 calls, public health ocials said. The approved expansion will reach all district jurisdictions by the end of the year, HCPH Interim Executive Director Leah Barton said.
HART new coverage areas HART’s coverage areas follow Harris County Sheri’s Oce district boundaries.
Current HART coverage areas
Expanded HART coverage areas
District 5
District 1
District 2
45
59
1960
290
HART cases initiated in 2025
99 TOLL
90
10
22.3%: Housing 15.9%: Behavioral and mental health 11.7%: Transportation 50.1%: Other
10
6
Total cases: 1,195
610
45
District 4
District 3
N
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICECOMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTHCOMMUNITY IMPACT
What they’re saying
What residents should know
Cypress resident Marti Peddicord described the HART sta members who helped assist her sister with dementia as “angels who have held her hand.” Peddicord said because her and her sister have had limited communication over the years, she’s thankful HART and the community have consistently checked in with her when her sister would call 911. “This is one program that I will just say is well worth it, and they should keep funding it,” Peddicord said. “I know the constables and the sheri’s department all appreciate somebody coming back and being another layer of help and assistance.” Harris County Public Health’s Community Health and Violence Prevention Services Division launched the pilot program in 2022 in Cypress Station, located in north Harris County, to address root causes of violence for those experiencing social welfare crises, according to the program’s website. By 2023, commissioners voted to expand the HART program further into areas where the county sheri’s o ce covers District IV in Precinct 4. Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey told court members at the August meeting that he believes the county’s existing rst responder and
emergency response teams are equipped and su cient. “I think it’s well-intended in terms of what is being asked for,” Ramsey said. “But I think, particularly in this time of budget issues, I believe [the Clinician O ce Remote Evaluation] and [Community Emergency Response Team] are taking care of us.” Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones said HART separates county resources when it comes to crisis needs versus crime response. “The bottom line is this is smart public safety,” Briones said. “We connect individuals in times of crisis who might need mental health assistance, addiction assistance, to the services they may need, and then that frees up our law enforcement o cers’ time so they can double down, respond more promptly to urgent calls with regard to violent crimes.” Since the program’s launch in 2023, HART o cials said they have responded to more than 21,100 emergency call responses and provided on-scene care to 2,834 residents and connected them to services. O cials said the work freed more than 2,100 deputy hours for violent crime response.
For individuals in crisis needing to reach HART, public health ocials suggested the following options: • Option 1: Dial or text 911 • Option 2: Dial the HCSO nonemergency number at 713-221-6000 • Option 3: Contact Violence Prevention Services at 713-274-4877
HART sta are trained social service and health professionals who respond to nonviolent 911 calls.
COURTESY HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH
20
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