Lead applicant: the providence center (TPC) law enforcement (LE) partner: providence police department (PPD) target population and plan to address problem: individuals residing in the city of…

The Providence Center, Inc. was awarded a $516,813 Project Grant from the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Criminal and Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program. The grant will support co-response teams consisting of a behavioral health clinician from The Providence Center and an officer from the Providence Police Department to provide crisis response services to individuals experiencing mental health incidents in Providence, Rhode Island. It is estimated that over 8,400 contacts will be made, including full behavioral health assessments for an estimated 1,200 individuals, with a goal of diverting 95% of those encountered from potential arrest to mental health treatment or referral. The funding will expand an existing initiative and allow recalibration of dispatch and officer training as well as metrics tracking. The grant period is from October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2024.

Lead applicant: the providence center (TPC) law enforcement (LE) partner: providence police department (PPD) target population and plan to address problem: individuals residing in the city of providence who are experiencing a mental health incident (MHI), who are encountered by police as a result of a call-for-service to the PPD or statewide (rhode island) 911-dispatch entity, will be targeted for service. Providence is home to an economically and ethnically diverse population of approximately 179,000 individuals. An estimated (minimum) 8,400 "contacts" will be made by a CO-response team (consisting of a TPC clinician and PPD officer) , including engagement with an estimated 1,200 individuals experiencing a MHI who will receive a full behavioral health (BH) assessment. IT is anticipated this work will result in diversion of 95% of individuals-encountered from potential arrest, to mental health treatment and/ or referral. The proposed effort will expand an existing initiative which has been partially-funded by the department of justice between 2018 and 2020. The expansion (approximately double previous level) will occur as a result of (1) additional match-funding which has been secured (for at least year 1) from the providence city council, and (2) a transition of focus from "high-utilizers" of police services (for MHI calls-for-service) which the partnership has determined is not the best use of resources, to a model which follows a "crisis response" model (serving all individuals experiencing a MHI, regardless of utilization-level). In addition, new DOJ funding will help to enhance the partnership/ project (which is in its 13TH year) through improved training of dispatchers and police officers, and a recalibration of the codes and protocols used to track project metrics. An amount of $516,813 is being requested for this project, and the match either meets or exceeds the requirement for all years. Priority areas to be addressed (annotated): promote effective strategies by law enforcement promote mental health courts use validated assessment tools use of funds to benefit public health and public safety and active involvement of LE partner