A New First Response to Mental Health Crises Now Operates in Galveston

Galveston, Texas recently launched a team specialized to respond to mental health crises with patience instead of incarceration or lethal force. This specialized team is known as the Galveston police department's Compassionate Open Access to Services and Treatment (COAST) program. Launched in May 2023, COAST Teams provide health-focused responses to behavioral health emergencies and consist of a licensed mental health clinician from the Gulf Coast Center, a paramedic from the Galveston Fire Department, and a specially trained Galveston police officer.

Texas Monthly published an article that originally appeared in the January 2024 issue of the publication with the headline "Mental Health's New First Responders." Click here to read the article and learn more about what sparked the need for this addition to police departments and how programs like COAST are making a difference.