The purpose of the lane county justice and mental health collaboration improving connections project is to improve community safety by supporting people involved with lane county's criminal legal…

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded a $550,000 Project Grant under the Criminal and Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (CFDA 16.745) to Lane County, Oregon. The purpose of the grant is to improve community safety by supporting individuals involved in Lane County's criminal legal system to access mental health and other treatment services. Key project activities include strengthening and expanding a mental health caseload pilot program within the county's parole and probation department, implementing specialized supervision case plans, and establishing a peer navigator in the county jail to improve connections to post-release services. The project aims to advance equity and remove barriers to accessing services for historically underserved communities impacted by crime and mental health challenges. The grant has an award date of October 1, 2024 and a completion date of September 30, 2027.

The purpose of the lane county justice and mental health collaboration improving connections project is to improve community safety by supporting people involved with lane county's criminal legal system to get well while being accountable for their own personal health and safety as well as for community health and safety. Project activities include strengthening and expanding parole and probations mental health caseload pilot to a mental health unit, application of specialized supervision case plans, and establishing a peer navigator in the jail to improve connections with services post-release. The project addresses priority area 1A- meaningfully advance equity and remove barriers to accessing services and opportunities for communities historically underserved, marginalized, adversely affected by inequality, and disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization. The project also addresses justice and mental health collaboration programmatic priorities: strategies for identification and treatment of females with mental health disorders, evidence-based interventions, prioritization of those scoring moderate or high risk and need according to validated assessment tools, funds are used for public health and safety, and has active participation of CO-applicants. There are no planned conference activities for the recommended award.