Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $199,755)
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 State of Colorado Judicial Department will use the FY 09 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (Expansion Grant) to expand the Juvenile Integrated Treatment Court (JITC). The JITC Steering Committee is a collaborative partnership that has successfully integrated judicial oversight, probation supervision, and intensive treatment in order to help juvenile participants with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse issues receive intensive community support and treatment, thereby reducing recidivism and increasing community safety. The JITC also seeks to increase its capacity from 15 to 30 participants in order to address the growing overrepresentation of detained and placed youth with re-occurring mental health and substance abuse treatment needs while providing treatment, support services, and ensuring community safety. Moreover, JITC primary goals are to: provide early screening, assessment, and court intervention; provide effective court supervision; provide integrated services to JITC participants; and promote public safety by reducing recidivism of juveniles with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.
CA/NCF