Project Grant H79SM089496

MOBILE COUNTY PARTNERSHIP FOR EARLY CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVERSION - THE MOBILE COUNTY PARTNERSHIP FOR EARLY CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVERSION WILL EXPAND EXISTING EFFORTS TO PROVIDE DIVERSION FROM ARREST INTO IMMEDIATE TREATMENT. THE PROGRAM IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND MENTAL HEALTH TARGETING FOUR KEY AREAS THAT ENHANCE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING, CLINICAL CO-RESPONSE, RECIDIVISM PREVENTION, AND TREATMENT ADHERENCE. ADDRESSING CRITICAL GAPS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE CRISIS CONTINUUM PROMOTES DECRIMINALIZATION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISES. THE PROGRAM WILL ENHANCE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES AND CRISIS DE-ESCALATION USING VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGY AND MENTAL HEALTH CLINICAL CO-RESPONSE. EVALUATIONS WILL BE BOTH IN PERSON AND THROUGH THE USE OF CLINICIAN REMOTE EVALUATION, OFFICERS CARRYING IPADS IN THEIR PATROL VEHICLES THAT CONNECT DIRECTLY TO A CLINICIAN FOR EVALUATION AND DISPOSITION. THE EXPANSION OF THE FORENSIC ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT (FACT) TEAM WILL PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE IN-HOME SERVICES TO JUSTICE-INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS AT HIGH RISK FOR RECIDIVISM BY USING EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AND PROGRAMS TO CREATE MEANINGFUL CHANGE IN THE LIVES OF PARTICIPANTS. THE PROGRAM WILL WORK TO ENSURE THAT PARTICIPANTS ARE ATTENDING TREATMENT REGULARLY AND REMAINING COMPLIANT WITH MEDICATION, ARE LINKED TO HOUSING, EDUCATION, AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS RACIAL, ECONOMIC, AND OTHER BARRIERS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO HIGH RATES OF RECIDIVISM IN DISPARATE POPULATIONS. THIS PROGRAM ALSO CREATES A HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM CONSISTING OF A CIT TRAINED OFFICER AND A CLINICIAN TO ADDRESS THE GROWING NUMBER OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED, NOT ONLY HOUSING, BUT ALSO MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES. THIS PROGRAM WILL FOCUS ON ADULTS, AGED 19 AND OLDER, LIVING WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND/OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS WHO HAVE A CRIMINAL JUSTICE NEXUS WITHIN MOBILE COUNTY, ALABAMA, REGARDLESS OF ETHNICITY, SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS. THE PROGRAM SERVES OVER 3,000 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY AND 17,000 OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS, BY DIVERTING AT LEAST 50% OF ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT CALLS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES TO IMMEDIATE AND APPROPRIATE TREATMENT OPTIONS RATHER THAN INCARCERATION. IT WILL INCREASE TRAINING WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY BY 100% AND INCREASE ACCESS TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE CONTACT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, DUE TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES, WHO HAVE NEVER SOUGHT OR ENGAGED IN TREATMENT, BY 100% WITH IMMEDIATE CONNECTION THROUGH THE USE OF REMOTE CLINICAL RESPONSE. THE MOBILE COUNTY PARTNERSHIP FOR EARLY CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVERSION WILL BUILD ON AN EXISTING COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP THAT STARTED IN 2019 WITH A MULTI-AGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE INITIATED DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STEPPING UP INITIATIVE. MENTAL HEALTH, LAW ENFORCEMENT, COURT PERSONNEL, ATTORNEYS, COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS, AND MANY OTHER AGENCIES BEGAN WORKING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS INCARCERATED IN MOBILE COUNTY. THIS PLANNING COMMITTEE ENGAGED IN A RECENT SEQUENTIAL INTERCEPT MAPPING AND HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO ADDRESSING ALL POINTS OF INTERCEPT, PARTICULARLY ZERO AND ONE, IN ORDER TO DECRIMINALIZE MENTAL ILLNESS AND PROVIDE FRONT-END DIVERSION THAT HELPS INDIVIDUALS GET THE RIGHT TREATMENT, AT THE RIGHT PLACE, AT THE RIGHT TIME.