Primary Department: Public Health Services
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Leah Barton ─ Interim Executive Director
Secondary Department: N/A
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Policy
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request that the County Judge execute a letter of recognition supporting the Holistic Assistance Response Team (HART) program operating as an unaffiliated Basic Life Support First Responder Organization within Harris County.
end
Background and Discussion:
The Holistic Assistance Response Team (HART) Program launched in March 2022 as an alternative 911 response model for non-violent calls to Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) emergency dispatch (EDC). The program utilizes interdisciplinary, unarmed first responders with psychosocial and medical assistance training to handle non-violent incidents, allowing law enforcement to focus on more serious crimes. On December 10, 2024, Commissioners Court approved a proposal to transition HART program operations to HCPH. On January 23, 2025, the Commissioners Court approved the interlocal agreement with UTHealth for a medical director for the HART program. On January 30, 2025, HCPH began delivering HART services with a fully internal team. As part of this transition, the HART program currently operates without a FRO license, prohibiting HART teams from providing basic life support EMT services. To provide these expanded services in the future, HCPH seeks recognition from DSHS as an unaffiliated Basic Life Support First Responder Organization (BLS FRO) license. A letter of recognition from the County Judge is part of the BLS FRO license application requirements.
Expected Impact:
Approving the letter of recognition for the HART program will reduce the lag in fully transitioning program operations, expedite the FRO application, and enable HCPH to provide medical services consistent with the current HART model.
Alternative Options:
Alternatively, the County could reject the request for a letter of recognition. Doing so would delay the ramp-up of the HART program and extend the program’s time operating with limited capacity. This option would result in a longer transition time for the HART program to be fully operational.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 1. Make Harris County safer and more just.
County Strategic Plan Objective: B: Reduce criminal legal system exposure that does not advance public safety.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): B1: Increase the use of effective and efficient deflection responses using non-criminal justice resources for non-violent behaviors, particularly those primarily related to substance use, mental health, poverty, and homelessness.B1
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2):
Economy Initiative (Goal 3):
Health Initiative (Goal 4):
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5):
Housing Initiative (Goal 6):
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
12/10/2024 |
227 |
Approval of HART In-House Transition Plan |
|
01/23/2025 |
131 |
Approval of interlocal agreement with UTHealth for a medical director for the HART program |
Location:
Address (if applicable): N/A
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Service Name |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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|
|
|
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Existing Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
|
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
|
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Funding Sources |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Grants - Proposed Budget (To be filled out by Grants staff only) |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
No. of Grant Years |
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Local Match Source - Existing Budget: |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
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Personnel(Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Total Personnel |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Anticipated Court Date: March 27, 2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): March 27, 2025
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Lupe Washington, Director Community Health and Violence Prevention Services, Public Health Services
Attachments (if applicable): Letter of Recognition