Marion county is a growing, vibrant community, home to approximately 346,000 residents, a 10% increase in population since 2010

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (CFDA 16.745 - Criminal and Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program) awarded a $550,000 Project Grant to the Marion County Health & Human Services Department and the Marion County Sheriff's Office to re-establish a Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) in Marion County, Oregon. The MCRT is a collaborative model that co-locates a sheriff's deputy and a qualified mental health professional in a vehicle to respond to and follow up on behavioral health crisis calls, with the goal of improving outcomes for individuals experiencing mental health and substance abuse challenges, reducing recidivism, and connecting them to stabilization resources. The sub-award of $550,000 will fund this three-year program from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2027.

As the second most populous county outside the portland metro area, marion county spans 1,200 square miles, encompassing a mix of rural and suburban landscapes. Marion county experiences a higher rate (337.5/100K in 2022) of violent crime than the state of oregon (304.5/100K in 2022) and opioid overdose visits to the emergency department and urgent care (138.4/100K in 2023 VS 57.8/100K in 2019). The proposed mobile crisis response team (mcrt) is a collaboration between marion county health & human services department (mchhs) and the marion county sheriffs office (mcso) that CO-locates a mcso law enforcement officer and a qualified mental health professional in a vehicle together to respond to and follow-up on behavioral health crisis calls in marion county, oregon. Mchhs and the mcso have a long history of collaboration and implemented mcrt since 2014. Sadly, on april 1ST, 2024, mchhs, mcso, the city of salem police department, and the woodburn police department, discontinued the mcrt model. This program aims to RE-establish a successful law enforcement/behavioral health model to serve marion county to improve the outcomes for individuals experiencing mental health and substance abuse challenges, reduce recidivism, and connect to valuable stabilization resources, with the use of the connect and protect funds under priority 1A. There are no planned conference activities for the recommended award.