Project Grant H79TI088873

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded the City of Hattiesburg $361,612 on September 30, 2026, under the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.490) to expand a behavioral health court serving misdemeanor offenders with mental health and substance use disorders.

Hattiesburg Municipal Court, through a contract with Pine Belt Mental Healthcare Resources, will provide clinical and risk assessments to identify eligible misdemeanor offenders, develop individualized treatment plans, conduct regular and random substance use testing at court appearances, and refer participants to inpatient treatment as needed. The target population comprises misdemeanor defendants with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, with historical demographics of 60 percent male and 40 percent female, average age 22–45, 60 percent African American, 75 percent unemployed, 50 percent experiencing homelessness, and 80 percent without high school completion.

The treatment team includes the judge, project director, peer recovery support specialist, clinician, recovery support specialist, psychiatrist, and evaluator, supplemented by Hattiesburg's homeless coordinator and code enforcement representative as needed. Evidence-based treatment modalities include integrated dual disorder treatment, cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, seeking safety, motivational interviewing, and medication-assisted treatment, delivered through group and individual sessions addressing assessment, insight, coping skills, cognitive strategies, and lifestyle modification.

Performance period runs through September 29, 2031, with work performed in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.