Mental Health Court offers substance abuse treatment with or without insurance

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) --- People going through the Hays County Mental Health Court can now get help treating substance abuse regardless if they have insurance or not.

On Tuesday, County Commissioners approved a partnership with treatment center, Evoke Wellness in San Marcos.

The specialty court is an alternative to jail for situations where mental health problems played a role in an arrest.

It started taking participants in 2022 and is now up to 20 people, according to Mental Health Court Administrator Kaimi Mattila.

"We will plan to get individuals into you know, either residential treatment or IOP (intensive outpatient treatment), probably starting like next week," Mattila said.

'Feel like a new lease on life'

This court gave one of its participants a sense of hope for the future.

The person, who wishes to remain anonymous, said it's completely changed their life.

"Before I started the court, I thought my life was over. Just feel like going forward, I feel like a new lease on life," the person said.

They graduated from the year-long program in December.

"It just made you feel like people cared," they said. "Some of the requirements were making sure you're taking any kind of prescribed medication. Making sure we're going through therapy."

Another requirement is being sober from drugs and alcohol. The Mental Health Court Judge Elaine Brown said some people struggle with that.

"Once they enter into the mental health court, we oftentimes find that they have other needs that aren't being met," Travis County Judge Andy Brown said. "Some of them often oftentimes need substance abuse treatment."

Now, the court has a resource to help with that through the partnership with Evoke Wellness.

"This contract will then enable us to easily make a referral over to their treatment team and ensure that they have access to services," Mattila said. "So those would include detox, residential inpatient treatment, and also IOP, intensive outpatient treatment."

Brown and Mattila said these services will be offered regardless if someone has insurance or not.

"We have individuals who don't have insurance and we also have individuals who do have insurance. This option allows us to provide those individuals with the treatment that they need, utilizing their insurance, but helping them with that copay piece of it," Brown said. "Then for those who don't have insurance, this is an opportunity for them to get the treatment they need, even though they couldn't otherwise afford it."

Mattila said the court has $45,000 to help pay for participant's treatment. Evoke Wellness promised to help cover some costs as well.

"They're giving us five scholarships that we're able to utilize for those individuals that don't have the financial means or insurance to cover treatment," Mattila said.

Evoke Wellness sent a statement to KXAN to express its excitement with this partnership.

"Partnerships like the one we forged with Hays County Mental Health Court are what make this work most worthwhile. We know there is a need for this type of programming in Hays County and we're grateful that Judge Brown and Kaimi Mattila were willing to partner with us. We're hoping that court participants benefit from the program and integrate their learnings."

Evoke Wellness

Brown said Hays County is one of only 25 counties in the state with a mental health court.