Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) supports innovative cross-system collaboration for individuals with mental illnesses or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders who come into contact with the justice system. BJA awards Grantees that demonstrate a collaborative project between criminal justice and mental health partners from eligible applicants to plan, implement, or expand a justice and mental health collaboration program. This program is authorized by the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004 (MIOTCRA) (Public Law 108-414), and the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-416), as amended by the 21st Century Cures Act (Public Law 114-255), 34 USC 10651; Additional authority is provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, Pub. L. No. 116-93, 133 Stat 2317, 2409.
JMHCP seeks to increase public safety by facilitating collaboration among the criminal justice and mental health and substance abuse treatment systems to increase access to mental health and other treatment services for individuals with mental illnesses or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. The program encourages early intervention for these multisystem-involved individuals; maximizes diversion opportunities for multisystem-involved individuals with mental illnesses or co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders; promotes training for justice and treatment professionals; and facilitates communication, collaboration, and the delivery of support services among justice professionals, treatment and related service providers, and governmental partners.
The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) has completed its first grant cycle (2017 - 2020) focused on a comprehensive process analysis of the intersect of Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health. Alachua County Court Services has taken he lead on this initiative from the onset in 2017 bringing partners together from public and private entities with the intent of developing collaborative and innovative strategies to reduce the prevalence of those living with mental illness in our Jail. The parallel mission is to increase connections to appropriate treatment options to further reduce the recidivism rates of these citizens. The support and participation has been absolutely impressive.