Mental Health Court Planning and Implementation Project

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP's) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), furthers the Department's mission by assisting state and local jurisdictions in improving the criminal justice system and assisting communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. In fiscal year 2007, the Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within six major categories: 1) targeting violent crime; 2) preventing crime and drug abuse; 3) enhancing local law enforcement; 4) enhancing local courts; 5) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 6) facilitating justice information sharing. All categories combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime.

The Arapahoe Mental Health Center will use the FY 2007 discretionary funding to plan and implement a mental health court in the Colorado 18th Judicial District. The project coordinator, task force, and steering committee will: use nationally recognized research and best practices to increase the commitment and participation of other agencies in the judicial, law enforcement, and mental health systems; design a working mental health court for the 18th Judicial District; identify resources needed to implement and sustain the mental health court; and, initiate successful implementation. Major deliverables are a comprehensive mental health court policy and procedures manual, a sustainability plan, and memoranda of understanding between the agencies that will be a part of the mental health court.

CA/NCF