Carroll county, georgia proposes to implement the mental health diversion program

The U.S. Department of Justice's 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 Carroll County, Georgia. The purpose of the grant is to implement the Mental Health Diversion Program, which aims to divert individuals with mental health disorders or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders from the criminal justice system into community-based services and treatment. Key project activities include creating and expanding early diversion and pre-trial diversion programs, implementing evidence-based screening and assessment tools, convening a multidisciplinary diversion team, and providing strengths-based case management and peer support services to enrolled participants. The grant has an award date of October 1, 2024 and a completion date of September 27, 2027.

The purpose is to divert individuals with mental health disorders or CO-occurring mental health and substance use disorders from the criminal justice system into community-based services and treatment through justice and mental health cross-system collaboration. Project activities include creating and expanding early diversion and pre-trial diversion programs in the municipal courts, state court, and superior court; implementing evidence-based risk and need screening and assessments tools to identify potential qualified participants; convening a multidisciplinary diversion team to identify and refer high risk individuals and provide case reviews monthly; and implementing strengths-based case management and wrap-around peer support services to enrolled participants. There are no planned conference activities for the recommended award.