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BOERNE, Texas – It’s been a year since Boerne Police Department launched its mental health unit, and the officer in charge says the success is measured in community education.
Boerne Police officer Rebecca Foley said she is pleasantly surprised by the first year of the city’s mental health unit.
“Our goal is to help the people get resources in the Boerne area that we’re needing help for mental health,” Foley said.
The program’s focus is getting people mental health access to prevent them from ending up in jail.
The number of mental health calls has remained roughly the same, but Foley says the community’s education and involvement have increased.
Her job is to slow down calls and listen for those who need help.
“Just seeing the signs of symptoms, listening to them, you know, understanding what they’re trying to say. And then by knowing all that information, just realizing that they need it — they need help — that they need to call somebody,” Foley explained.
Foley said the countywide focus on resources for mental health is making a dent overall. Her goal next year is to make more follow-up calls.
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