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BROWNSVILLE, Texas - State Rep. Erin Elizabeth G\\xe1mez of Brownsville has filed legislation to set up a state recognized and supported county mental health task force.

House Bill 1904 would set up a pilot program in Cameron County to prove its success. If it successful it could be replicated across the state.

\\u201cOur county has recently been making strides in increasing access to mental health services for our community members. Today we took another step in the right direction in filing legislation which will create a state recognized and supported county mental health task force,\\u201d G\\xe1mez said.

In an exclusive interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service, G\\xe1mez said the task force would focus on all aspects of mental and behavioral health.

She said these would include \\u201cidentifying and removing barriers to mental health access, identifying best practices in law enforcement response to individuals suffering a mental health crisis, and connecting and building upon existing resources to fill in gaps and maximize the use of our public money.\\u201d

Additionally, G\\xe1mez said, the task force would coordinate and take input from existing efforts at the local, state, and national level to address the mental health needs of the community.

\\u201cThe task force will be composed of community members who are already on the front lines and meeting individuals where they are. Passing this legislation will help continue our county's efforts to meet the mental health needs of our community,\\u201d G\\xe1mez added.

The attached audio file features an interview with Rep. G\\xe1mez about House Bill 1904.

To read the new stories and watch the news videos of the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service go to www.riograndeguardian.com.