Bronx Women's Health Initiative

The New York State Unified Court System (UCS)(lead applicant) on behalf of the Bronx Criminal Court (BCC) and the EAC Network (partner applicant), a mental health agency, request $549,928  to reduce criminal justice (CJ) system involvement and improve outcomes for women with mental health disorders (MHDs) or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (MHSUDs) arraigned in the BCC. The BCC is not a previous recipient of JMHCP grant funds and is responsible for the arraignment of all non-federal offenses committed in the Bronx, a county with a population of almost 1.5 million people. This project will address the following program-specific priority areas: (1) Promote effective strategies for identification and treatment of females with MHDs who are involved with the CJ system; (2) Promote effective strategies to expand the use of mental health courts and related services; and (3) Demonstrate active participation of co-applicants in administering the program.

Primary activities include: developing a non-invasive questionnaire to identify women entering the Bronx CJ system who may be eligible to participate in a mental health court (MHC) or other problem-solving court (PSC); establishing protocols to adjourn the cases of women to the new Bronx Women’s Health Initiative (BWHI) after arraignment; training BCC judges and non-judicial staff on the new questionnaire and adjournment protocols; administering the questionnaire to women in the BWHI; transferring the cases of identified women to an MHC or other PSC; and offering appropriate services/treatment to women who are ineligible for or choose not to participate in an MHC or other PSC.

The intended beneficiaries of this program are women entering the Bronx CJ system with MHDs or MHSUDs. This population, especially women of color, have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by inequality. It is expected that approximately 3650 women each year will be administered the questionnaire, resulting in a substantial increase in the number of women identified for potential participation in the MHC and other PSCs. The goal is to address the inequities and barriers to equal opportunity for participation in these courts, and to provide women with appropriate services/treatment for mental illness, substance use disorder and/or trauma.

The subrecipient will: have experience working with women with MHDs and extensive histories of trauma including intimate partner violence and sexual assault; administer the questionnaire; flag cases for transfer; and offer appropriate services/treatment to women who choose not to participate in an MHC or other PSC.