Mental health services for Williamson County first responders will continue

Williamson County will continue to provide mental health services for county emergency services such as emergency medical services, 911 emergency communications, emergency management and the fire marshal's office.

Judge Bill Gravelle made a unanimous decision to allow payments of up to $50,000 for any services requested by first responders through September 30, 2023.

Dr. Tanya Glenn & Associates, PA, an Austin-based clinical practice providing services to some of the first responders since 2017, will continue to provide services through September 30, 2023, when the contract will be renewed.

"For those who don't know, Dr. Glenn & Associates is a local first responder trauma group, and they are one of the leading first responder trauma agencies across the country," Gravelle said. "Many times she and her staff have been to other parts of America where disasters have occurred and have done an amazing job."

The Williamson County Emergency Department provides its staff with contact numbers for mental health services so they can make their own appointments. The practice then bills the county for these services.

Dr. Tania Glenn and Associates, PA, received a full score of 10 for staff availability to work with patients. The provider treats trauma in first responders by providing mental health counseling, advice, and training. They also provide critical incident response counseling and training, and support colleagues through interventions including individual and group debriefings, post-critical incident stress management strategies, and post-traumatic stress disorder professional development.

"I think it's just providence that we have a company of this caliber in Williamson County, so I'm grateful for that," Gravelle said.

In 2017, the Williamson County Commissioners Court approved a training and trauma response contract for the Williamson County Sheriff's Office with Tania Glenn and Associates, PA. The contract is renewed annually and brought to the Williamson County Commissioners Court for approval.