Lowell Police Department's Co-Responder Program

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY19 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) supports cross-system collaboration to improve responses and outcomes for individuals with mental illnesses (MI) or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse (CMISA) who come into contact with the justice system. This program supports officer and public safety and violence reduction through social service and other partnerships that will enhance and increase law enforcement responses to people with MI and CMISA.

The recipient will conduct planning and implementation activities to increase public safety and reduce recidivism among high risk people with MI and CMISA. Upon completion of the planning phase and BJA approval of the required planning and implementation guide, the recipient will use funds to implement the plan. Implementation activities may include: training for criminal justice, mental health, and substance abuse treatment personnel; screening, assessment, and information-sharing processes; developing specialized caseloads for people on community supervision with more significant mental health needs and higher risk of reoffending; case management and service coordination including evidence-based treatment models that are tailored to meet the assessed mental health, substance abuse, and criminogenic needs of the target population; and information sharing within and across criminal justice and behavioral health treatment agencies to make eligibility determinations, and ensure direct connections to treatment services in the community. CA/NCF