Crisis Intervention Team

 

 SHERIFF LOGO

Behavioral Health Services: Crisis Response and Intervention Project (CIT)

BHS works closely with the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), which is a specialized unit formed within the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office (FBCSO). The objective of the specialized trained team of officers is to assist mental health consumers in crisis, ensure safety, and connect individuals with needed mental health services. BHS has worked closely with the FBCSO to develop protocols, provide training, and track outcomes for CIT to ensure it can divert people away from incarceration or emergency rooms when possible. CIT also provides follow up checks when necessary to prevent further crisis and to assist in recovery.

*In case of an emergency, call 911; ask for a CIT Officer
*For non-emergencies, call 281-341-4665

CIT Supervisors

Lieutenant Jerome Ellis
Office: 281-341-8530
Email: Jerome.Ellis@fortbendcountytx.gov

Sergeant Alexander Rey
Office: 281-341-8533
Email: Alexander.Rey@fortbendcountytx.gov

For more information please visit FBC CIT Team Website:
https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov//government/departments/sheriff-s-office/chief-deputy/crisis-intervention-team-cit

Infant Toddler Court Page Website Page

Infant Toddler Initiative

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Infant Toddler Court (ITC): Healing the Youngest Victims is a service enhancement to the existing Infant Toddler Court and to the Cluster Court. It focuses on implementing a continuum of relationship-based services to facilitate reunification, attachment, emotional and behavioral regulation, parenting capacity, permanency, and overall healing of young victims of abuse and neglect. The Infant Toddler Court (ITC):  Healing the Youngest Victims enhances relationship-based and family-centered services for infants, toddlers, and children. Our goal is to work collaboratively with the Court, CASA, DFPS, and attorneys to improve the well-being of children and support family reunification. VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) provides support to the ITC: Healing to Youngest Victims.

The Infant Toddler Court Initiative provides:

  • Education about the importance of early relationships and early development of children
  • Parent-child relationship assessments
  • TBRI interventions
  • Enhanced visitation practices
  • Enhanced case management services
  • Mental health supports and services

The 328th District Court in Fort Bend County was one of the five Courts nationwide that began the initiatives for infants and toddlers over 13 years ago.

We work collaboratively to:

  • Keep infants and toddlers safe
  • Heal trauma
  • Preserve and support families where possible
  • Divert children from further involvement in the child welfare or criminal justice system
  • Referral QR Code
  •  
 

Scan QR Code or Fill Out Referral Form: https://form.fortbendcountytx.gov/Behavioral_Health_Services_Referral.html

For questions or assistance, please call: 281-238-3079

Questions and Inquiries: BHSdept@fbcx.gov  

Recovery and Reintegration

Recovery & Reintegration Program

A Clinical Forensic Service for Adults

 

 

The Recovery & Reintegration program offers clinical forensic services for adult clients, who have complex behavioral health needs, such as mental illness, substance abuse disorders, and complex trauma, and who are at risk of criminal justice involvement. This program is individualized by addressing needs, identifying strengths, helping build resilience, improving wellness, and supporting recovery. The program aims to prevent ongoing incarceration, as an individual’s health easily deteriorates by being further involved in the criminal justice system.

It is estimated that 15% of men and 31% of women being booked in jails have a mental illness, with most having co-occurring substance abuse. This program is critical to ensure that these individuals who are at high risk of recidivism receive specialized therapy, intensive case management, and access to community based support.

The program’s goal is to increase access to primary and specialty care services, specifically for underserved populations, to ensure all clients receive the most appropriate care, regardless of their location or ability to pay. The program reduces recidivism rates and promotes recovery in the community by providing the services below:

  • Trauma Focused Counseling
  • Domestic Violence Counseling
  • Individual Counseling
  • Court Ordered Counseling
  • Case Management
  • Court Ordered Mental Health Diagnostic Evaluations
  • Court Ordered Substance Abuse Evaluations
  • Substance Abuse and Relapse Prevention Counseling

R & R services are free to participants

Referral QR Code
 

Scan QR Code or Fill Out Referral Form: https://form.fortbendcountytx.gov/Behavioral_Health_Services_Referral.html

For questions or assistance, please call: 281-238-3079

Questions and Inquiries: BHSdept@fbcx.gov

Criminal Justice Mental Health

The Fort Bend Criminal Justice Mental Health Initiative

The Fort Bend Criminal Justice Mental Health (FB CJMH) is a task force that works together to improve services and systems for people with mental illness involved or at risk of involvement in the criminal justice system. This task force is coordinated by the Fort Bend County Behavioral Health Services Department in collaboration with other county departments and community agencies.

The following departments and community organizations participate in this initiative:

  • Behavioral Health Services
  • County Judge’s Office
  • District Attorney’s Office
  • County Attorney’s Office
  • Judicial Leadership (434th District Court and County Court Law 1- Mental Health Court)
  • Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office
  • Crisis Intervention Team- FBCSO
  • Constable and Police Departments
  • Public Defender’s Office
  • CSCD- Community Supervision and Corrections Department
  • Health and Human Services
  • Texana Center
  • NAMI of Greater Houston
  • Behavioral and Health Providers
  • Fort Bend Regional Council on Substance Abuse
  • Other Community Organizations
Forensic Psychological Evaluations

Behavioral Health Services works closely with the courts in Fort Bend County and provides evaluation services to adults, adolescents as well as children. The department has three licensed doctoral level psychologists and other qualified staff available to complete psychological and forensic evaluations requested or ordered by the courts.

All court orders are to be emailed to bhscourtorders@fbctx.gov or faxed to 281-238-3250.
To schedule a court order evaluation, please call 281-238-3079.

Below is a brief description of what each evaluation is designed to assess:

Mental Health Evaluations:

  • The primary purpose of this evaluation is to provide an assessment of the individual’s current mental health functioning. The evaluation will provide diagnostic information and clinical recommendations to the court.  Additional testing may be included as clinically warranted.
    Motion for Mental Health Evaluation  [PDF]
    Order for Mental Health Evaluation  [PDF]

Competency to Stand Trial Evaluations

  • Article 46B.003: A defendant is presumed competent to stand trial and shall be found competent to stand trial unless proved incompetent by a preponderance of the evidence
  • A person is incompetent to stand trial if the person does not have: Sufficient present ability to consult with the person's lawyer with a reasonable degree of rational understanding and/or Rational as well as factual understanding of the proceedings against the person
    Motion for Competency Evaluation [PDF]
    Order for Competency Evaluation [PDF]

Fitness to Proceed Evaluations

  • Sec. 55.31 Texas Family Code:
    “A child alleged by petition or found to have engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision who as a result of mental illness or mental retardation lacks capacity to understand the proceedings in juvenile court or to assist in the child's own defense is unfit to proceed and shall not be subjected to discretionary transfer to criminal court, adjudication, disposition, or modification of disposition as long as such incapacity endures.”
    Motion for Fitness to Proceed Evaluation [PDF]
    Order for Fitness to Proceed Evaluation [PDF]

Sanity Evaluations

  • Texas Penal Code 8.01
    “It is an affirmative defense to prosecution that, at the time of the conduct charged, the actor, as a result of severe mental disease or defect, did not know that his conduct was wrong.”
    Motion for Sanity Evaluation [PDF]
    Order for Sanity Evaluation [PDF]

Lack of Responsibility Evaluations

  • Section 55.51, Texas Family Code:
    “A child alleged by petition to have engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision is not responsible for the conduct if at the time of the conduct as a result of mental illness or mental retardation, the child lacks substantial capacity either to appreciate the wrongfulness of the child’s conduct or to conform the child’s conduct to the requirements of the law.”
    Motion for Lack of Responsibility Evaluation [PDF]
    Order for Lack of Responsibility Evaluation [PDF]

Substance Abuse Evaluations:

  • The primary purpose of the substance abuse evaluation is to determine diagnosis of substance use. Evaluations tend to be in-depth and are designed to provide information regarding the defendant’s personal background, mental health diagnoses, and clinical recommendations (specific to substance abuse treatment) to the court. This evaluation incorporates the use of evidenced based validated tools to formulate the diagnosis and recommendations. A request for a substance abuse evaluation should be based on information suggesting a potential problem: i.e. positive toxicology screens, a history of use, or criminal allegation that is drug related.
    Motion for Substance Abuse Evaluation [PDF]
    Order for Substance Abuse Evaluation [PDF]

 

For more information or questions about court ordered evaluations
please call 281-238-3079 or email us at BHSCourtOrders@fortbendcountytx.gov

 

Presentations

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BJA Stepping Up Initiative

 

Stepping up Initiative: Bureau of Justice Assistance

Fort Bend County Behavioral Health Services received a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) in October of 2019 to be part of the Stepping Up Initiative. As part of the Fort Bend County Justice Mental Health Collaborative: Stepping Up, we are working to develop and implement a collaborative county approach to reduce the prevalence of individuals with serious mental illness in the jail. Our goals are to strengthen Fort Bend County’s collaborative approaches to:

  • Reduce the number of people with mental illness (MI)/ co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse (CMISA) in the jail
  • Decrease their average length of stay in jail
  • Improve connections to treatment
  • Lower recidivism rates

 

The Stepping Up Initiative moves away from programs and pilots; instead, it focuses on data-driven strategies to produce measurable outcomes. The Fort Bend County Justice and Mental Health Collaborative (FBCJMHC) targets data integration, by pulling together magistrate data, jail records, and other information within the justice system. Analyzing the data will lead to systematic improvements in identification of mental illnesses in jails, quantification of the widespread problem, and allows for implementation of successful strategies throughout the county.

The FBCJMHC includes a jail diversion coordinator, within BHS Department, to assist with connection with services, with the goal of reducing the length of incarceration and recidivism.

Referral QR Code
 

Scan QR Code or Fill Out Referral Form: https://form.fortbendcountytx.gov/Behavioral_Health_Services_Referral.html

For questions or assistance, please call: 281-238-3079

Questions and Inquiries: BHSdept@fbcx.gov

 

Stepping Up Initiative
Learn More

 

September Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
May Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month 2026

BHS Lunch & Learn [PDF]

May 3rd through May 9th is Children's Mental Health Action Week! Click the links below to learn how you can support children's mental health!

For additional information or resources, please call BHS at 281-238-3079 or email at bhsdept@fortbendcountytx.gov

Back to School

Back to School Resources

General Hotlines

DFPS Texas Youth Helpline

  • Number to Text or Call: 1-800-989-6884
  • Website to Chat: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/youth-helpline/
  • This Helpline provides a call and chat service 24/7 for kids, teens, parents, and guardians. They will listen to what youth in crisis are experiencing and help them see all of their options, reminding them that there are still opportunities for things to change. They offer low-cost/ no-cost referrals for more resources, messaging services for runaway youth, free rides home for runaway youth, and action planning for self-improvement. 99% of the time, calls are immediately answered.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

  • Number: 1-800-273-8255/ 1-800-273-TALK
  • The Lifeline is free, confidential, and always available (24/7). Anyone can call the lifeline to help a loved one, a friend, and themselves. Community crisis centers will answer the calls, and they are equipped to handle crisis calls. They may reach out to local community resources to aid the individual, if needed, and they will provide any resources requested.

COVID-19 24/7 Mental Health Support Line (English and Spanish Speakers, for all of Texas)

  • Number: 832-255-6715
  • This number connects Texans with mental health professionals that listen and offer resources to help them. The Support Line provides trauma-informed support and psychological first aid to people who are currently going though COVID-19 related stress and anxiety. This is a 24/7, confidential, and free service for all of Texas.

Texans Recovering Together COVID-19 Line (English and Spanish Speakers)

  • Number: 936-521-6331
  • This line provides services to families that have been affected by COVID-19 in many Texas counties, including Fort Bend County. They offer 6 free counseling sessions with professionals, as well as referrals to Social Services, Job and Legal Assistance, Transportation, and Medical Care. The Line is open Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM CST, and it will only be available until January 2022.

School District Resources

*This resource includes a Hotline for students, provided by the district

Fort Bend ISD

Katy ISD

Lamar ISD

Needville ISD

Stafford ISD

Fort Bend County Resources

myFBC App

  • Link to download: https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/government/departments/information-technology/myfbc
  • This app allows the county residents to communicate with the county government in a “better, effective, and more efficient manner.” The app includes features, such as paying county taxes, seeing court and jury information, requesting public records, submitting complaints to departments, COVID-19 updates, and voting information. It can also be translates into 100+ languages, making the app accessible to all.

Fort Bend County Behavioral Health Services

  • Website Link: https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/bh
  • The department was created to assist in addressing the needs of those with mental illness who come into contact with our justice system.  Over the years, Behavioral Health Services has expanded to begin to address those in the community who are high-risk of involvement in the justice system.
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