This is the sixth in a series of articles about the Travis County Forensic Mental Health Project.
The Travis County Forensic Mental Health Project delivered its recommendations to the Travis County Commissioners in March 2023.1 The goal of these recommendations is to provide solutions other than jail to address mental health and substance abuse disorders in the county.
Recommendation #5
The Project’s fifth recommendation is for the county to establish a permanent counsel at first appearance program at Central Booking.
“(We) believe it is a fundamental right of every individual to have appropriate legal counsel,” the document says.
The recommendation is based on a 2022 pilot program funded by a $500,000 grant from the Texas A&M Public Policy Research Institute to the Travis County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO). TCSO partnered with the Capital Area Private Defender Service to implement the counsel at first appearance program to ensure counsel was present at first appearance for all people, primarily at magistrate court.