Rural Law Enforcement should be allocated more resources to provide Mental Health services

Rural law enforcement has very few options when trying to assist a mental health patient, also known as a consumer. A consumer who resides in a rural area in Texas has significant health care needs but experiences several obstacles in getting services. These obstacles include a lack of accessible services due to geographical distances, a general scarcity of resources, the absence of a human services infrastructure, and little to no service providers. Additionally, the rural law enforcement agencies should be allocated or given access to more resources to provide mental health services to consumers. Without support services outside the law enforcement agency, the consumer will not get treatment and will not start the healing process. A mental health officer responding to a crisis is only the beginning of the journey that the consumer is about to take. If rural agencies had access to a Mobile Outreach Team or had mental health clinics in their area, they could request further assistance with helping the consumer. This would help the consumer heal and become a productive citizen again. If the consumer does not get additional assistance, they further deteriorate and enter a crisis, which then requires law enforcement intervention that could lead to criminal charges or psychiatric commitment.