Proposal abstract: the cumberland county sheriff's office provides law enforcement services to the mostly rural communities of cumberland county maine

The County of Cumberland, ME was awarded a $203,319 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 (CFDA 16.745). The grant will fund an embedded mental health professional from Spurwink Services to assist the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office in responding to calls involving individuals with mental health disorders. Over the past three years, mental health-related calls for service have risen significantly from 220 in 2019 to 648 in 2021, straining law enforcement resources. The embedded specialist aims to direct individuals to local service providers, provide follow-up support, and improve outcomes for persons with mental health disorders and their families. The grant period runs from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2025.

The overall population of cumberland county is over 303,000 people, and in the towns, without police departments, the population is approximately 53,505. The demographic makeup is approximately 92% white, 3.2 % african american, 2.4% asian, and 2% hispanic. In the past three years, the number of calls for service for mental health-related services has risen dramatically from 220 calls in 2019 to 648 calls in 2021. A significant number of these calls are for repeat subjects thus putting a significant strain on the resources of the agency to answer the routine calls for service. The cumberland county sheriff's office believes that an embedded mental health professional provider would decrease the potential for harm to persons with mental health disorders (MHD) by directing the individuals to local service providers and providing follow-up services for healthier individuals and the community. The target population will be people with MHD and their families. The agency has been in talks with a local mental health services provider, spurwink services, portland, me who contracts with other local law enforcement agencies to provide a mental health care professional to assist law enforcement in those communities. The cumberland county sheriff's office is requesting $203,319.40 in federal funding. The cumberland county sheriff's office has not requested funding for a similar project in the past.