The LAS vegas justice court mental health court (MHC) program seeks funds to provide performance-based and outcomes-based contracts for reentry services for at least 88MENTAL health court participants

This federal Project Grant award of $1,000,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative (CFDA 16.812) will support the Las Vegas Justice Court Mental Health Court (MHC) program. The program aims to provide performance-based and outcomes-based contracts for reentry services to assist at least 88 high-risk, high-needs MHC participants in becoming productive members of the community and reducing recidivism. Key objectives include early identification of mental illness, early intervention, and diversion of individuals away from the justice system, as well as improving access to treatment, services, and community functioning in areas such as employment, education, training, and housing. The grant will fund the provision of permanent supportive housing and other critical reentry services to help this population successfully reintegrate.

MHC is a voluntary alternative to the traditional court system for individuals with a serious mental illness where there is some correlation between the offense and their diagnosis. Assistance and treatment are coordinated throughout the program and progress towards goals is closely monitored. Objectives include early identification of mental illness in individuals having contact with the justice system, early intervention, and diversion of individuals away from the justice system. MHC assists those struggling with mental illness who have violated the law by increasing the efficiency of case processing; improving access to treatment and services; developing and completing an individualized treatment plan; improving community functioning of participants in the areas of employment, education, training and housing; and by reducing recidivism to improve public safety for the community. The goal is to enter into performance-based and outcomes-based contracts for reentry servicesto assist participantsin becominga productive member of the community and reduce recidivism. The MHC program would provide high-risk high-needs participants with permanent supportive housing.