FY24 Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Response Program

This program supports law enforcement–behavioral health cross-system collaboration to improve public health and public safety by improving responses to and outcomes for individuals with mental health disorders (MHDs) or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (MHSUDs). Through this opportunity, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) provides grant funding to help entities prepare, create, or expand comprehensive plans and then implement these collaborative projects to target people who qualify.

Please note that the Connect and Protect Program is under the umbrella of BJA's Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP). Per the authorizing statute, JMHCP requires a two-phase process consisting of planning and then implementation activities during which grantees will develop a coordinated approach to implementing or enhancing services for individuals with MHDs or MHSUDs who come in contact with law enforcement. Applicants must submit one application that proposes detailed activities for both a planning phase and an implementation phase.

Eligible Applicants:

• State governments
• Special district governments
• City or township governments
• Public- and state-controlled institutions of higher education
• County governments
• Native American tribal governments (federally recognized)
• Other: Agencies with a different legal status (e.g., nonprofit or for-profit mental health agencies) are eligible to apply only if they meet two requirements:
  1. The applicant is designated by the state mental health authority to provide services as a unit of the state or local government.
  2. The applicant must attach documentation to support this designation.

See the solicitation for additional opportunity and eligibility details, as well as directions on how to apply.