Improving Law Enforcement and Community Responses to People With Mental Illnesses

The Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Program: National Initiatives, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP) 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 FY 2008, the program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within five major categories: 1) preventing crime and drug abuse; 2) enhancing local law enforcement; 3) enhancing local courts; 4) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 5) facilitating justice information sharing.

The Council of State Governments will implement a project under Category 1: Preventing Crime and Drug Abuse. They will support the development of a statewide implementation guide for improving law enforcement-community responses to people with mental illnesses to prevent crime and build partnerships among law enforcement and community-based organizations. The primary goal of this project is to assist state governments seeking to support local law enforcement agencies and their community partners as they design, implement, and sustain effective responses to people with mental illnesses. The project will advance the spread and depth of law enforcement-based diversion strategies in several states and promote adoption of these types of programs nationwide.

CA/NCF