Delaware Connect and Protect - support and improve law enforcement–behavioral health cross-system collaboration

The Executive Office of the Governor of Delaware – Criminal Justice Council in conjunction with National Alliance on Mental Illness Delaware and multiple law enforcement agencies is applying for a Connect and Protect Project in the federal amount of $550,000. Delaware will use grant funds to support law enforcement–behavioral health cross-system collaboration and to improve public safety responses and outcomes for individuals with MI or CMISA statewide. Funds will enhance a law enforcement–behavioral health response by conducting focus groups for underserved populations, increasing training options, developing standardized police policies for response to MI and CMISA, increasing access to services by providing additional case management embedded with police, and providing research on various models. Planning Deliverables: 1) DE Connect & Protect Planning Team will be built off of the current CIT Law Enforcement Committee, coordinated by NAMI, will be initiated within 60 days; 2) CJC will sub award to NAMI DE to conduct 4 focus groups in conjunction with UD evaluators to gather feedback for addressing specialized populations to inform implementation phase trainings; 3) Team completes: a) assessment of current initiatives and policies, b) system mapping to identify gaps and diversion opportunities, and c) completes the required Connect & Protect – Planning & Implementation Guide within the first year. Implementation Deliverables:  1) Release solicitation for implementation funds and select sub grants upon completion of Plan, 2) Funds for treatment services will improve engaging and retaining justice involved individuals through needs identified in the Plan which may include: additional case management, advance training programs, increasing community awareness, aggressive outreach for services and rapid reconnection to programming; 3) Fund a minimum of two projects that increase the use of diversion from incarceration which may include mandated community treatment; 4) Assist in developing additional policies in 10 local police departments; 5) Maintain a minimum of 30% of CIT trained officers on patrol; 6) Reduce use of force in MI and CMISA cases by 10%; 7) Produce an evaluation report. Project includes partnerships between CJC, Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, NAMI, Delaware State Police, New Castle County and Georgetown Police. Delaware is second in the nation for rates of overdose fatalities and ranked 14th among states in the prevalence of Mental Illness (MI) in 2020. Dr. Dan O’Connell from the University of Delaware serves as the evaluator for the project. CJC received the FY17 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program: 2017-MO-BX-0043.