Young County, TX

Young County is located in north central Texas. In 2020, the population was 17,867.  The county was created in 1856 and organized in 1874 and is named after William Cocke Young, an early Texas settler and soldier.

Young County, Texas, will use FY24 PACT funding to establish crisis response teams, provide comprehensive mental health response and de-escalation training for the Sheriff’s Department, Graham Police Department, Olney Police Department patrol officers, and staff a mental health nurse on a 24/7 basis. These efforts will enable the county to more effectively respond to mental health crises, ultimately decreasing injury and suicide rates.

The Presbyterian Critical Incident Response Team will deliver quarterly training over the course of two years, covering both basic and advanced crisis intervention techniques. Participants will receive certification from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc. In addition, a TCOLE-certified instructor will lead monthly de-escalation training for the first year, followed by quarterly sessions thereafter. Quarterly training exercises will be conducted by the Presbyterian Critical Incident Response Team, focusing on practical applications of crisis intervention and de-escalation strategies.

The county will ensure a mental health nurse is available 24/7 to respond to crises within the county, including in the mentioned towns and jails. Through collaboration with the Presbyterian Critical Incident Response Team, Young County will have access to a comprehensive crisis response team, which may include pastors, mental health professionals, law enforcement officers, and firefighters.

To support rapid crisis response, two vehicles will be purchased and stationed strategically across the county, providing nurses and other team members with immediate access to the necessary resources. These vehicles will be equipped with radios, iPads for remote clinician access, first aid kits, and grounding tools, which will also be distributed to each deputy. Cohort 2024.

Program Goals

• Create crisis response teams that provide in-depth mental health response and de-escalation training/exercises for law enforcement officers and to have a mental health nurse on staff 24/7.
• Respond more effectively to mental health crises to decrease injury and suicide rates.
• Provide quarterly training for a two-year period through the Presbyterian Critical Incident Response Team which will provide basic and advanced crisis intervention training with certification from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
• Provide de-escalation training on a monthly basis for the first year, and quarterly thereafter.
• Hold quarterly training exercises for practical application of crisis intervention and de-escalation skills.
• Respond to mental health crises within the county, towns, or jails with 24/7 nurse staffing.
• Collaborate with the Presbyterian Critical Incident Response Team to form a full-fledged crisis response team.
• Purchase and place two cars at strategic locations for rapid response to mental health crises, equip the cars with radios, iPads, first aid kits, and grounding tools and provide grounding tools to each deputy.

Key Partnership Organizations

Grahm Police Department | Olney Police Department | Presbyterian Critical Incident Response Team

Learn More

County wins grant for mental health team | Olney Enterprise