FY 2009 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program

The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) seeks to increase public safety through an innovative, cross-system, collaborative response to individuals with mental illness who come in contact with the criminal or juvenile justice systems. This program is funded through Public Law 111-8 (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2009). The program is designed to increase public safety by facilitating collaboration among the criminal justice, juvenile justice, and mental health and substance abuse treatment systems to increase access to services for offenders with mental illness. Activities under this initiative will encourage early intervention for 'system-involved' individuals with mental illness; provide new and existing mental health courts with various treatment options; maximize diversion opportunities for non-violent offenders with mental illness and co-occurring disorders; promote training for justice and treatment professionals on criminal justice processed and mental health and substance abuse issues; and facilitate communication, collaboration, and the delivery of support services among justice professionals, treatment and related service providers, and governmental partners.

The city of Indianapolis, through the Department of Public Safety, will use fiscal year 2009 JMHCP Category II funds to provide care coordination and transitional aftercare services for one year post release for incarcerated women with mental illness or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders who have committed non-violent misdemeanors. Grant funds will be used to hire a new care coordinator to work with at least 40 women post release over a two year period, leveraging existing resources and services to include health, mental health, substance abuse, housing, and employment on their behalf. The program will be rigorously evaluated with control groups to determine effectiveness in reducing recidivism and increasing recovery.

CA/NCF