Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2010, $247,049)
The Bureau of Justice Assistance's (BJA) Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) is funded through the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-414), which was reauthorized in 2008 (Public Law 110-416). The primary purpose of JMHCP is 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 mental health and other treatment services for those individuals with mental illness or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Jurisdictions are eligible to apply for planning, planning and implementation, or expansion funding through JMHCP.
The county of Cumberland will use $247,049 in JMHCP Category 2: Planning & Implementation funds. These funds will supplement the local match. The Cumberland County Jail Diversion Program will be a one-stop and coordinated strategy for providing on-site screening and evaluation to emotionally disturbed individuals who come into contact with local law enforcement entities. The proposed program will provide a number of benefits to the partnering agencies and the mental health consumers including: 1) reduced transport and other costs; 2) direct and coordinated connections with care providers and services; 3) professional mental health counseling and services; 4) a reduction in the potential for confrontation and violence; 5) fewer arrests; 6) rapid utilization of the family support system; and 7) enhanced confidentiality. A Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT) supported by staff, funded by this grant, and partner agencies will provide these one-stop services.
CA/NCF