Bernalillo county has a diverse population of nearly 700,000 residents, with 110,000 who live in the unincorporated areas of the county that include land grants and rural mountain areas

This federal Project Grant award of $376,078, provided by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Criminal and Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (CFDA 16.745), supports the expansion of the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office's Community Assistance and Support Team (CAST) program. The goal of the CAST program is to divert individuals with behavioral and/or mental health disorders from the county jail by establishing a CAST unit coordinator position, formalizing a memorandum of understanding with the University of New Mexico Hospital (mental health agency partner), and evaluating the processes and outcomes of the diversion program. The award period is from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2027, and aims to improve public safety responses and outcomes for individuals with mental health disorders in the diverse, underserved population of Bernalillo County, New Mexico.

A large majority of bernalillo county residents are historically underserved, marginalized, adversely affected by inequality, and disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization. For example, there are several federally recognized native american tribes adjoining bernalillo county including sandia, isleta, and laguna pueblo reservations. In any given year the bernalillo county sheriffs office receives 130,000 calls for service. Close to 5,000 of those calls involve a crisis or mental/behavioral health need. The bernalillo county sheriffs office proposes to expand its community assistance and support team (cast) program. The purpose of the cast unit is to divert individuals with behavioral and/or mental health disorders to somewhere other than the county jail. Project activities include establishing a cast unit coordinator position, which will facilitate formalizing memorandum of understanding between the sheriffs office and the university of new mexico hospital (mental health agency partner) and evaluation of processes and outcomes of the diversion program. There are no planned conference activities for the recommended award.