Collaborative Safeguards for Court-Involved Youth

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.

Skagit County will use Category II (Planning and Implementation Grants) Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program funds will support The Collaborative Safeguards for Court-Involved Youth program. Skagit County has primarily focused on the adult justice system or examined children's mental health services in general, rather than specifically reviewing programming in the juvenile justice system. This program will fill a need to address juvenile justice mental health issues. The sixth month comprehensive planning process will greatly assist with laying the ground work for implementing activities. The strategic planning process will include local stakeholders invested in mental health and juvenile justice issues, with specific emphasis on participation by consumers, family members and advocates. This group will provide feedback in reference to a dual model dual delivery component. These components will provide mental health screening to 140 juveniles and comprehensive mental health services to 120 youth.

CA/NCF