Project Grant H79SM091539

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded $616,685 to Ottawa County Community Mental Health on September 30, 2026, under the Center for Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.532) to implement the Ottawa County Behavioral Health Diversion Initiative.

The initiative expands pre-arrest behavioral health stabilization services to reduce justice system involvement and improve crisis response across Ottawa County over five years. The program will serve 815 individuals through sequential intercept mapping, early diversion planning, and coordinated referrals from law enforcement, emergency services, and community partners. Capacity will increase annually via staff expansion, crisis training, mobile co-response teams, and a new living room walk-in and first responder drop-off center. Services include peer support, transportation assistance, short-term stabilization behavioral health case management, and linkage to housing, benefits, and employment services. The Ottawa County Diversion Council will manage system mapping, data tracking, quarterly monitoring, and sustainability planning. The program aims to divert at least 75 percent of encounters from arrest, ensure rapid follow-up within 72 hours, and reduce behavioral health-related emergency department use by 20 percent. An integrated data dashboard and ongoing partner training will support improved crisis recognition and long-term diversion outcomes.

The award period runs through September 29, 2031, with place of performance in Holland, Michigan.