Collaborative Programs for Mental Health Disorder Intervention in El Paso County

El Paso County Criminal Justice Coordination Department recognizes the critical need to address the intersection of mental health disorders and criminal justice involvement within our community. As of March 2024, El Paso County Pretrial Supervision had a total of 726 cases that were flagged with a mental health nexus. In addition, there were 740 cases involving arrests for possession of a controlled substance. Out of these cases involving a controlled substance, 139 cases were identified as also having a mental health nexus.

To effectively support individuals with mental health disorders and reduce their involvement in the criminal justice system, we propose the implementation of collaborative programs that connect individuals with treatment, employment services, and specialized caseloads for pretrial interventions. This grant seeks to fund activities aimed at validating screening and assessment processes within courts, probation/pretrial services, and jails to identify individuals with mental health disorders and provide them with appropriate support and resources.

The County Criminal Justice Coordination Department, through this grant solicitation, is requesting funding for a Community Resource Coordinator, a Supervision Officer, an Intake and Assessment Officer, and contracts with community-based service providers to improve outcomes for individuals with mental health or substance use disorders during their incarceration and upon reentry into the community. There are no planned conference activities for the recommended award.