Mental Health Response Teams in Forsyth County

FORSYTH COUNTY CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM

The Board of Commissioners of Forsyth County, Georgia is making application for FY 2023- Invited to Apply- Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program.

Forsyth County continues to strengthen partnerships with behavioral health agencies in the State of Georgia and in our community by supporting the development of a recovery-oriented service delivery system.  At the county-level, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office is working to strengthen the existing infrastructure by connecting people to the appropriate community-based treatment and support services outside the criminal justice system.  While diversion may not be appropriate or possible for every person in the criminal justice system who has a behavioral health need, a strategic, systems-wide approach will better define which interventions are best for the community and reduce the likelihood it is using inefficient programs and practices. Adding an additional team will allow CIRT to capture missing calls in peak times.

The community needs a range of diversion programs and practices embedded within a comprehensive, coordinated strategy which offers behavioral health diversion interventions at every point in the criminal justice system and fully leverages their community’s resources. 

Some of the goals of this project include:

Create second co-responder team to capture missed opportunities
Continue tracking key stats to measure response teams
Prioritize individuals with moderate or high risk of recidivism and a need for treatment services

This collaboration project has the potential to achieve the greatest impact and reduce the overall number of people who have behavioral health needs in the criminal justice system.