Abilene's Behavioral Advisory Team is one step closer to creating a crisis response team, which will allow mental health patients to get the help that they need instead of ending up behind bars.
The Behavioral Advisory Team, made up of the Abilene Police Department, the Abilene Fire Department and the Betty Hardwick Center, is applying for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant.
The grant will help fund a crisis response team, which is a team of professionals that will respond to a mental health crisis instead of just sending two police officers.
"The grant will fund two teams, with also two shifts, so actually, four full teams," said Abilene Fire Chief Cande Flores.