15jmhcpsol.pdf

U.S. Department of Justice OMB No. 1121-0329

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Assistance

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking applications for funding for the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program. This program furthers the Department’s mission by increasing public safety through innovative cross-system collaboration for individuals with mental illness who come into contact with the criminal justice system.

Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program FY 2015 Competitive Grant Announcement

Eligibility Eligible applicants are limited to states, units of local government, federally recognized Indian tribes (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior), and tribal organizations. BJA will only accept applications that demonstrate that the proposed project will be administered jointly by an agency with responsibility for criminal or juvenile justice activities and a mental health agency.

Only one agency is responsible for the submission of the application in Grants.gov. This lead agency must be a state agency, unit of local government, federally recognized Indian tribe, or tribal organization.

Per Pub. L. 108-414, a “criminal or juvenile justice agency” is an agency of state or local government or its contracted agency that is responsible for detection, arrest, enforcement, prosecution, defense, adjudication, incarceration, probation, or parole relating to the violation of the criminal laws of that state or local government (sec. 2991(a)(3)). A “mental health agency” is an agency of state or local government or its contracted agency that is responsible for mental health services or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse services (sec. 2991(a)(5)).

A substance abuse agency is considered an eligible applicant if that agency provides services to individuals suffering from co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.

BJA may elect to make awards for applications submitted under this solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on the merit of the applications and on the availability of appropriations.

For additional eligibility information, see Section C. Eligibility Information.

Deadline Applicants must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. All applications are due to be submitted and in receipt of a successful validation message in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m.

eastern time on April 14, 2015.

All applicants are encouraged to read this Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov.

For additional information, see How To Apply in section D. Application and Submission Information.

http://www.justice.gov/ http://www.ojp.gov/ https://www.bja.gov/ https://www.bja.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp http://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Grants-govInfo.htm http://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Grants-govInfo.htm

BJA-2015-4081

Contact Information For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035, or via e-mail to support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Support Hotline hours of operation are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays.

Applicants that experience unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond their control that prevent them from submitting their application by the deadline must e-mail the BJA contact identified below within 24 hours after the application deadline and request approval to submit their application. Additional information on reporting technical issues is found under “Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues” in the How To Apply section.

For assistance with any other requirement of this solicitation, contact the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Response Center: toll-free at 1-800-851-3420; via TTY at 301-240-6310 (hearing impaired only); email responsecenter@ncjrs.gov; fax to 301-240-5830;

or web chat at https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp. The NCJRS Response Center hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. eastern time on the solicitation close date.

Grants.gov number assigned to announcement: BJA-2015-4081

Release date: February 17, 2015 mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp mailto:responsecenter@ncjrs.gov https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp

Contents A. Program Description

Overview

Program-Specific Information

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices

B. Federal Award Information

Amount and Length of Awards

Type of Award

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls

Budget Information

Unallowable Uses for Award Funds

Cost Sharing or Match Requirement (cash or in-kind)

Pre-Agreement Cost Approvals

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable)

C. Eligibility Information

Cost Sharing or Match Requirement

Limit on Number of Application Submissions

D. Application and Submission Information

What an Application Should Include

How To Apply

E. Application Review Information

Selection Criteria

Review Process

F. Federal Award Administration Information

Federal Award Notices

Administrative, National Policy, and other Legal Requirements

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

H. Other Information

Provide Feedback to OJP

Application Checklist

Appendix

Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program

(CFDA #16.745)

A. Program Description

Overview The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) supports innovative cross-system collaboration for individuals with mental illnesses or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders who come into contact with the justice system. BJA is seeking applications that demonstrate a collaborative project between criminal justice and mental health partners from eligible applicants to plan, implement, or expand a justice and mental health collaboration program. This program is authorized by the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act of 2004 (MIOTCRA) (Pub. L. 108-414) and the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110- 416).

Program-Specific Information JMHCP seeks to increase public safety by facilitating collaboration among the criminal justice and mental health and substance abuse treatment systems to increase access to mental health and other treatment services for individuals with mental illnesses or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. The program encourages early intervention for these multisystem-involved individuals; maximizes diversion opportunities for multisystem-involved individuals with mental illnesses or co-occurring mental and substance abuse disorders;

promotes training for justice and treatment professionals; and facilitates communication, collaboration, and the delivery of support services among justice professionals, treatment and related service providers, and governmental partners.

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables

Allowable Uses for Grant Funds There are three types of grants supported under the JMHCP grant program:

Category 1: Collaborative County1 Approaches to Reducing the Prevalence of Individuals with Mental Disorders in Jail: Grantees awarded Category 1 awards will plan and conduct a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of county criminal justice and behavioral health systems in order to identify strategies to safely reduce the prevalence of individuals with mental disorders in local jails.

Category 2: Planning and Implementation: Grantees awarded Category 2 awards will design and implement targeted interventions to address the needs of individuals with mental disorders in the criminal justice system and improve public safety.

Category 3: Expansion: Grantees awarded Category 3 awards will expand upon or improve well-established collaboration strategies.

1 While the focus of this category is a county-based approach, BJA recognizes there are 41 cities around the country that are not within a county system, which are also eligible to apply.

Category 1: Collaborative County Approaches to Reducing the Prevalence of Individuals with Mental Disorders in Jail Grantees awarded Category 1 awards will engage in a county system analysis to identify strategies to reduce the prevalence of individuals with mental disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders in local jails. Grantees will work closely with BJA’s technical assistance provider for JMHCP, the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, to complete a Planning and Implementation Guide as well as a planning phase and an implementation phase of the award that will help grantees complete the following activities:

Allowable Uses for Planning Phase:

Establish a team (or utilize a pre-existing team) of county leaders and decisionmakers from multiple agencies to engage in the planning process.

Clarify and document how individuals with mental disorders move through the local justice system and identify and gather relevant sources of data for analyses to identify policy options to safely reduce the prevalence of individuals with mental disorders in jail through diversion, alternative sentencing, or other strategies.

Allowable Uses for Implementation Phase:

Improve the administration of screening and/or assessment tools needed to identify mental disorders, substance use disorders, and criminogenic risk/needs among adults entering jail.

Use assessment data to measure the prevalence of individuals with mental disorders or co-occurring substance-use disorders in jail.

Inventory the policies, programs, and services currently in use that may minimize contact or deeper involvement for individuals with mental disorders in the criminal justice system, and identify gaps.

Develop and implement a plan to change policies and/or realign existing programs and services to minimize contact or deeper involvement of individuals with mental disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders in the criminal justice system.

Develop data or information systems to facilitate analyses and help track progress and assist in efforts to report on outcomes.

Category 2: Planning and Implementation and Category 3: Expansion

Allowable Uses for Planning Phase (Category 2):

During the planning period, grantees awarded Category 2: Planning and Implementation awards must complete a Planning and Implementation Guide. In addition, the following types of planning may be undertaken during the planning period, but are not required:

Understanding the flow of individuals into the grant-funded program from various referral sources to ensure the appropriate population is being served target program enrollment numbers are met.

Building capacity for implementation through activities such as securing operational space for program staff and clients, establishing Memoranda of Understanding or Letters of Agreement that outline how information will be shared between program partners, or training program staff on the use of screening tools, program eligibility, and referral procedures.

Allowable Uses for Implementation Phase and Expansion (Categories 2 and 3):

Grant funds may be used to support a combination of the allowable use categories below, or be concentrated on one specific category. Examples of grants focusing on combined allowable uses include (but are not limited to) a program creating Crisis Intervention Teams for law enforcement and/or corrections officers; providing intensive case management to clients leaving jail; providing statewide mental health and trauma informed care training for probation and parole officers, developing recommendations for improving information sharing between correction agencies and regional behavioral health organizations, and expanding mental health caseload for women in a particular county. An example of a grant focusing on a single allowable use could be developing and/or training court personnel (including judges) on responding to defendants with mental health needs in the courtroom.

a. Law Enforcement Responses (a Priority Consideration; see page 11):

These responses include implementing or expanding specialized law enforcement strategies that are tailored to the needs of people with mental disorders. This may include, but is not limited to, a combination of the following:

Developing specialized receiving or diversion centers for individuals in custody of law enforcement to assess for suicide risk and mental health or co-occurring mental health and substance use treatment needs, and refer to or provide appropriate evaluation or treatment services.

Developing or enhancing computerized information systems to provide timely information to law enforcement and other criminal justice system personnel to improve the response to incidents involving people with mental disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders, and that fosters the systematic analysis of incidents involving people with mental disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders.

Developing or expanding law enforcement-mental health programs such as co-responder programs or Crisis Intervention Teams for responding to incidents involving people with mental disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders, in which law enforcement and mental health professionals collaborate to make decisions that balance the needs of individuals with mental disorders with public safety.

Any applicant that chooses to incorporate law enforcement responses into their program design is encouraged to begin with a systematic analysis of available data on law enforcement calls for service and dispositions, as well as data about mental health crisis response activities, to ensure that programming decisions are responsive to current service demands and consistent with resources.

b. Training for criminal justice, mental health and substance use treatment personnel:

Training strategies may include, but are not limited to, a combination of the following:

Training programs that offer specialized and comprehensive training for law enforcement personnel in procedures to identify and respond appropriately to incidents in which the unique needs of individuals with mental disorders are involved, such as Crisis Intervention Team training.

Training supervising officers to provide highly-specialized and skilled evidence based services targeting mental health and criminogenic needs.

Cross-system training programs for corrections-based staff, courts personnel, community supervision personnel, and community-based mental health and substance use providers. Training programs should be designed to facilitate collaboration and enhance competency of personnel working with individuals with mental disorders involved in the criminal justice system. Training areas may include behavioral health and criminogenic risk and needs, case management, trauma-informed care, crisis-responses, integrated treatment and supervision strategies, and improving access to treatment and supportive services.

Training for judges and attorneys on recognizing indications of mental health need, being familiar with different screening/assessment options and dispositional options that are available to create linkages to community-based care and supervision, and understanding the collateral consequences of justice-involvement for people with mental illnesses (e.g., breaks in care and suspension/loss of benefits).

c. Enhance Access to Community-Based Healthcare Services and Coverage:

Plan and implement strategies for increasing access to healthcare, including behavioral health treatment, for populations that are anticipated to reduce recidivism and costs associated with detention and incarceration. Strategies include:

Strengthening partnerships among criminal justice, health, and behavioral health partners (e.g., corrections, local Medicaid offices, local healthcare providers, navigators at health insurance Marketplaces, regional Veterans Integrated Service Networks, local Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and public health departments) to better identify and enroll people in coverage.

Developing a process to determine status of coverage, identify individuals who are eligible and not currently enrolled, and institutionalize the enrollment of eligible individuals in some form of healthcare coverage, including improving access to other related benefit programs such as Social Security (OASDI and SSI/SSDI) and VA benefits.

Developing information systems within and across criminal justice and behavioral health treatment agencies to facilitate sharing of information, make eligibility determinations, and ensure direct connections to healthcare services in the community.

Incorporating health literacy into pre-release planning.

Providing guidance on the applicability of the individual mandate for the criminal justice population.

Identifying options and exclusions under Medicaid and private coverage relating to court-mandated treatment.

Collaborating with state Medicaid agencies to address policies relating to Medicaid managed care enrollment and suspending and/or terminating Medicaid benefits during incarceration.

d. Community Supervision Strategies:

Focus on probation and other community supervision agencies that are developing and cultivating new relationships with community mental health and substance use providers to develop and implement effective responses to individuals with mental disorders. This may include, but is not limited to, ensuring supervisees are receiving appropriate mental health services in the community and prioritizing caseloads to create a focus on mental health for people on community supervision with more significant mental health needs and higher risk of reoffending.

For any applicant that chooses to incorporate community supervision strategies into their program design, a criminogenic risk/need assessment must be completed for all program participants. This risk/need assessment, in conjunction with behavioral health needs assessments, should inform the types of services to provide and the intensity of supervision for this population.

Also, access to healthcare services and coverage as mentioned above should be prioritized, such as information sharing within and across criminal justice and behavioral health treatment agencies to make eligibility determinations, and ensure direct connections to healthcare services in the community.

e. Diversion and Alternative Sentencing:

Develop collaborative responses to identify individuals with mental disorders or co-occurring mental and substance use disorders as close to the time of initial detention as possible; maximizing diversion opportunities through pre-trial and court-based programs, and developing, expediting, and coordinating linkages to treatment and other services.

Responses may include, but are not limited to, a combination of the following:

Developing mental health courts or other specialized court-based programs.

Developing systematic screening and assessment and information sharing processes at early court processing stages to identify individuals with mental disorders or co-occurring mental substance use disorders in order to appropriately inform decisionmaking and prioritize limited resources and identify needed capacity.

Developing or enhancing diversion opportunities, which could include:

o Pretrial release with specialized supervision and treatment o Alternative prosecution and sentencing options (e.g., alternative to detention and incarceration programs)

If there is a case management and direct service component to the diversion and alternative sentencing program, please follow the expectations outlined below.

f. Case Management and Direct Services:

Focus on mental health and other treatment providers that are working to tailor their evidence-based practices to address the needs of individuals with mental or co-occurring mental and substance use disorders. These treatment providers may be coordinating with a law enforcement, court, or corrections agency as part of a larger initiative that involves the allowable uses listed above. Direct services include mental health treatment, co-occurring mental and substance use disorder treatment, interventions to address criminogenic needs, and other supports including housing, supported employment, and supported education programs that are appropriate for individuals with mental illness. Applicants providing mental health treatment directly or through referral, including Diversion and Alternative Sentencing programs are strongly encouraged to use evidence-based or promising mental health treatment practices shown to improve clinical outcomes for people with serious mental disorders.2 For any applicant that chooses to incorporate case management and direct services into their program design, the following expectations must be met:

The case plan and treatment referrals must be informed by criminogenic risk/need, mental health, and substance use screening and assessment tools. If the lead service provider is not a dedicated mental health agency, the service provider must work in

2 OJP’s CrimeSolutions.gov web site is one resource that applicants may use to find information about evidence-based programs in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services; See also The National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP), a searchable database of interventions for the prevention and treatment of mental and substance use disorders. NREPP is intended to serve as a decision support tool, not as an authoritative list of effective interventions. Being included in NREPP or CrimeSolutions.gov, does not mean an intervention is “recommended” or that it has been demonstrated to achieve positive results in all circumstances.

Applicants must document that the selected practice is appropriate for the specific target population and purposes of your project.

concert with dedicated mental health professionals to ensure case management and treatment plans effectively meet the mental health needs of the target population.

The lead agency that is serving in a case management role and making referrals to services must put mechanisms in place, (e.g. MOUs/contractual language) to ensure that service provider delivers evidence-based treatment models that are tailored to meet the assessment mental health, substance use, and criminogenic needs of the target population.

o Community-based treatment providers or other agencies providing or coordinating the delivery of services to the target population must have interagency guidelines (e.g., memorandum of understanding, or MOU) in place with a corrections partner to access criminogenic risk/need assessment information.

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices OJP places strong emphasis on the use of data and evidence in policy making and programming in criminal justice. OJP is committed to:

Improving the quantity and quality of evidence OJP generates

Integrating evidence into program, practice, and policy decisions within OJP and the field

Improving the translation of evidence into practice

OJP considers programs and practices to be evidence-based when their effectiveness has been demonstrated by causal evidence, generally obtained through one or more outcome evaluations. Causal evidence documents a relationship between an activity or intervention (including technology) and its intended outcome, including measuring the direction and size of a change, and the extent to which a change may be attributed to the activity or intervention.

Causal evidence depends on the use of scientific methods to rule out, to the extent possible, alternative explanations for the documented change. The strength of causal evidence, based on the factors described above, will influence the degree to which OJP considers a program or practice to be evidence-based. OJP’s CrimeSolutions.gov web site is one resource that applicants may use to find information about evidence-based programs in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services.

Risk-Need Responsivity Principle Current research supports the “Risk-Need-Responsivity” (RNR) model for how criminal justice authorities should be identifying and prioritizing individuals to receive appropriate interventions3.

BJA intends to fund programs that have a demonstrated evidence base and that are appropriate for the target population. Applicants should incorporate the following evidence-based practices in the development or enhancement of their client-based programs:

1. Screening and Assessment Tools

Use validated screening and assessment tools that have a demonstrated evidence base and that are appropriate for the target population.

3 See the Council of State Governments Justice Center’s “Adults with Behavioral Health Needs under Correctional Supervision: A Shared Framework for Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Recovery” available at www.bja.gov/Publications/CSG_Behavioral_Framework.pdf for a thorough discussion of the RNR principle and how it should be applied to the justice-involved population with mental disorders.

http://www.crimesolutions.gov/ http://www.bja.gov/Publications/CSG_Behavioral_Framework.pdf

Screening and Assessment Resources:

Screening and Assessment of Co-Occurring Disorders in the Justice System—Provides an overview of screening and assessment of persons with co-occurring disorders involved in the criminal justice system and includes an extensive list of screening and assessment instruments for different target populations.

Mental Health Screening within Juvenile Justice: The Next Frontier—Provides an overview of new issues and offers policy clarification on mental health screening in the juvenile justice system.

Brief Jail Mental Health Screen—Booking tool developed by the University of Maryland

School of Medicine and Policy Research Associates to screen incoming detainees in jails and detention centers for the need for further mental health assessment.

2. Providing Interventions that Address Criminogenic Need

Tailor treatment interventions to individuals’ specific criminogenic and behavioral health needs to improve public safety and public health outcomes. Criminogenic needs are risk factors closely associated with offending behavior and to which targeted interventions are responsive. Criminogenic risk and needs factors include history of anti-social behavior, anti-social personality pattern, anti-social cognition, anti-social associates, unsupportive relationships with family and/or spouse, especially in regard to refraining from criminal activity, underperforming and lacking motivation in school and/or work, lacking in non-criminal leisure and/or recreation activities, and substance use.

3. Mental Health Treatment Services Provide mental health treatment practices that have a demonstrated evidence base and that are appropriate for the target population. The following evidence-based mental health treatment practices have been shown to improve clinical outcomes for people with serious mental illnesses:

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)

Illness Management and Recovery (IMR)

Integrated Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

Supported Employment (SE)

Psychopharmacology

Other promising practices:

Forensic ACT (FACT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Applicants can also find information on evidence-based practices in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Guide to Evidence-Based Practices available at www.samhsa.gov/ebpwebguide. The Guide provides a short description and a link to dozens of web sites with relevant evidence-based practices information—either specific interventions or comprehensive reviews of research findings. Please note that SAMHSA’s Guide to Evidence-Based Practices also references the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP), a searchable database of interventions for the prevention and treatment of mental and substance use disorders. NREPP is intended to serve as a decision support tool, not as an authoritative list of effective interventions.

Being included in NREPP, or in any other resource listed in the Guide, does not mean an intervention is “recommended” or that it has been demonstrated to achieve positive results http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/pdfs/disorders/ScreeningAndAssessment.pdf http://www.modelsforchange.net/publications/198 http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/topical_resources/bjmhs.asp http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/pdfs/ebp/ExtendingAssertiveCommunity.pdf http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/pdfs/ebp/IllnessManagement.pdf http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/pdfs/ebp/IntegratingMentalHealth.pdf http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/pdfs/ebp/Supported_Employment.pdf http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/pdfs/ebp/ExtendingAssertiveCommunity.pdf http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/cms-assets/documents/69181-899513.rottercarr2010.pdf http://www.samhsa.gov/ebpwebguide in all circumstances. Applicants must document that the selected practice is appropriate for the specific target population and purposes of your project.

4. Housing, Supported Employment, and Supported Education

Utilize other evidence-based practices based on the needs of the target population.

Supported Employment is an evidence-based practice that is designed to help the individual find and keep competitive work. Housing programs for persons with mental illness should take into consideration the demands of the criminal justice system and ensure that a range of options are available. Supported Education interventions have also been found to be a promising practice. The Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University has developed the Higher Education Support Toolkit that can be used as a resource.

Priority Considerations

1. Law Enforcement Response Programs

Law enforcement agencies that partner with a behavioral health provider to implement or expand specialized state or local law enforcement strategies that are tailored to the needs of people with mental disorders4 will receive priority consideration for funding. See page 6 for additional information relating to law enforcement focused programs.

Law enforcement response programs may include, but are not limited to, a combination of the following:

Developing specialized receiving or diversion centers for individuals in custody of law enforcement to assess for suicide risk and mental health or co-occurring mental health and substance use treatment needs, and refer to or provide appropriate evaluation or treatment services.

Developing or enhancing computerized information systems to provide timely information to law enforcement and other criminal justice system personnel to improve the response to incidents involving people with mental disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders, and that fosters the systematic analysis of incidents involving people with mental disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders.

Developing or expanding law enforcement-mental health programs such as co-responder programs or Crisis Intervention Teams for responding to incidents involving people with mental disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders, in which law enforcement and mental health professionals collaborate to make decisions that balance the needs of individuals with mental disorders with public safety.

Conducting a local evaluation of an existing specialized response program, such as a Crisis Intervention Team, based on the components below under “2. Program Evaluation.”

2. Program Evaluation

Applicants are encouraged to consider a partnership with a local research organization that can assist with data collection, performance measurement, and local evaluation. One resource that applicants may be interested in using is the e-Consortium for University Centers and Researchers for Partnership with Justice Practitioners. The purpose of this e-

4 For more information and examples of both state and local law enforcement strategies to effectively improve responses to the mentally ill, see www.bja.gov/Publications/CSG_LE_Tailoring.pdf; also see www.bja.gov/Publications/CSG_StatewideLEMH.pdf.

http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/pdfs/ebp/Supported_Employment.pdf http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/pdfs/ebp/MovingTowardEvidence-BasedHousing.pdf http://cpr.bu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Higher-Education-Support-Toolkit.pdf http://www.bja.gov/Publications/CSG_LE_Tailoring.pdf http://www.bja.gov/Publications/CSG_StatewideLEMH.pdf

Consortium is to provide a resource to local, state, federal, and other groups who seek to connect to nearby (or other) university researchers and centers on partnerships and projects that are mutually beneficial to the criminal justice community. The e-Consortium can be found online at www.gmuconsortium.org.

3. Provision of Services for Justice System-Involved Females

Consistent with the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2008 (Sec. 3 (c)(c)(2)), priority will be given to applications that promote effective strategies for identification and treatment of justice system-involved females with mental illness or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.

Service Provision Considerations Applicants are encouraged to take into consideration additional targeted responses when making decisions about the appropriate service response for justice-involved individuals with mental illnesses:

Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is the framework for the practice of implementing trauma screening, assessment, and recovery support. Within the TIC framework, services are organized and delivered in a manner that meets the unique needs of consumers who have survived traumatic events, and safety, as identified by the service recipient, is the primary concern. The practice approach emphasizes the consumer empowerment and the consumer as driver of services, adopts universal precautions in asking about trauma, builds organizational capacity and knowledge of TIC through ongoing training, and policy review to ensure do no harm practices. For more information, visit SAMHSA’s National Center for Trauma-Informed Care.

Co-occurring disorders are prevalent in many behavioral health settings and program planning should address how to treat the co-occurring disorders. Applicants can find additional information on evidence-based practices for people with mental illnesses or co-occurring disorders on SAMHSA’s web site: www.coce.samhsa.gov/ and on the Center for Mental Health Services’ National GAINS Center web site:

http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/topical_resources/cooccurring.asp.

Target Population Requirements Grant funds must be used to support a target population that includes adults and/or juveniles who:

Have been diagnosed as having a mental illness or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders; and

Have faced, are facing, or could face criminal charges for a misdemeanor or felony that is a nonviolent offense.

Per MIOTCRA, a nonviolent offense is an offense that does not have as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person or property of another or is not a felony that by its nature involves a substantial risk that physical force against the person or property of another may be used in the course of committing the offense.

An individual’s past criminal history has no effect on present eligibility for JMHCP programs.

http://www.gmuconsortium.org/ http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-110publ416/pdf/PLAW-110publ416.pdf http://www.samhsa.gov/nctic http://www.samhsa.gov/nctic http://www.coce.samhsa.gov/ http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/topical_resources/cooccurring.asp

Applicants may review Pub. L. 108-414 and Pub. L. 110-416 for supporting information related to this solicitation.

Please note: While co-occurring mental and substance use disorders are common in this population, applicants should not work with a substance use population only. JMHCP funds are intended for use with a population with mental disorders only or co-occurring mental and substance use disorders. Applicants must justify in the proposal the reason(s) for selecting their identified target population and should provide data on the needs of the target population to support this selection. In addition, applicants must specify the total number of individuals the project expects to serve during the grant period and provide evidence demonstrating this figure is achievable.

B. Federal Award Information

Amount and Length of Awards BJA estimates it will make up to 30 awards for an estimated total of $7,000,000. Specific award amounts and project periods, which should begin October 1, 2015, are identified below.

Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program grants are available in three categories: 1.

Collaborative County Approaches to Reducing the Prevalence of Individuals with Mental Disorders in Jail, 2. Planning and Implementation, and 3. Expansion. An application should be submitted under the category that best fits the phase of the proposed project. All applications must demonstrate that the proposed project will be administered jointly by an agency with responsibility for criminal or juvenile justice activities and a mental health agency.

All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law.

CATEGORY 1: COLLABORATIVE COUNTY APPROACHES TO REDUCING THE

PREVALENCE OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL DISORDERS IN JAIL. Grant amount: Up to $150,000. Project period: 24 months. Competition ID: BJA-2015-4082.

Category 1 applicants will engage in a collaborative planning process with county leadership with the goal of reducing the numbers of individuals with mental disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders in local jails who can be safely supervised and/or treated in the community. Category 1 grants will support a targeted analysis of the prevalence of people with mental disorders in the local jail, a review of existing community resources, and identification and initial implementation of policy and practice changes to minimize contact or deeper involvement of individuals with mental disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders in the criminal justice system.

CATEGORY 2: PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION. Grant amount: Up to $250,000.

Project period: 36 months. Competition ID: BJA-2015-4083.

Category 2 applicants will complete an already-initiated collaboration plan for their criminal justice and mental health or co-occurring collaboration, and then begin implementation of the plan during the project period. Planning and Implementation grants can support law enforcement response programs; court-based initiatives such as mental health courts, pretrial services, and diversion/alternative prosecution and sentencing programs; treatment accountability services; specialized training for justice and treatment professionals;

corrections/community corrections initiatives; transitional and reentry services; treatment; and http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ414.108.pdf http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-110publ416/pdf/PLAW-110publ416.pdf non-treatment recovery support services coordination and delivery including case management, housing placement and supportive housing, job training and placement, education, primary and mental health care, and family supportive services. Up to 12 months of the total project period can be used to complete plan details, with the remaining months used for implementation of the program. During this planning stage, grantees will receive intensive technical assistance and will be required to complete and submit a Planning and Implementation Guide5 (to be provided by the BJA training and technical assistance provider). Grantees will receive approval from BJA to begin the implementation phase of their grant once they have submitted a complete guide.

CATEGORY 3: EXPANSION. Grant amount: Up to $200,000. Project period: 24 months.

Competition ID: BJA-2015-4084.

Category 3 applicants will expand upon or improve their well-established collaboration plan.

Category 3 grants can support the expansion of law enforcement response programs; court-based initiatives such as mental health courts, pretrial services, and diversion/alternative prosecution and sentencing programs; treatment accountability services; specialized training for justice and treatment services professionals; corrections/community corrections initiatives;

transitional and reentry services; and treatment and non-treatment recovery support services coordination and delivery including housing placement and supportive housing, job training and placement, education, primary and mental health care, and family supportive services. Category 3 funding must clearly demonstrate an expansion to the current functioning of an existing program.

Type of Award 6 BJA expects that it will make any award from this announcement in the form of a grant.

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls If selected for funding, the award recipient must:

(a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-federal entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. These internal controls should be in compliance with guidance in “Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government” issued by the Comptroller General of the United States and the “Internal Control Integrated Framework”, issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

(b) Comply with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal awards.

(c) Evaluate and monitor the non-federal entity's compliance with statute, regulations and the terms and conditions of federal awards.

(d) Take prompt action when instances of noncompliance are identified including noncompliance identified in audit findings.

5 A Planning & Implementation Guide has been developed for grantees that will direct and assist with training and technical assistance. We encourage all applicants to use the guide as a resource when crafting the project design and implementation section of the application.

6 See generally 31 U.S.C. §§ 6301-6305 (defines and describes various forms of federal assistance relationships, including grants and cooperative agreements (a type of grant)).

https://www.bja.gov/Funding/JMHCPPlanImpGuide.pdf

(e) Take reasonable measures to safeguard protected personally identifiable information and other information the federal awarding agency or pass-through entity designates as sensitive or the non-federal entity considers sensitive consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws regarding privacy and obligations of confidentiality.

In order to better understand administrative requirements and cost principles, award applicants are encouraged to enroll, at no charge, in the Department of Justice Grants Financial Management Online Training available here.

Budget Information

Unallowable Uses for Award Funds In addition to the unallowable costs identified in the Financial Guide, award funds may not be used for:

Prizes/rewards/entertainment/trinkets (or any type of monetary incentive)

Client stipends

Gift cards

Vehicles

Food and beverage

For questions pertaining to budget and examples of allowable and unallowable costs, see the Financial Guide at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/index.htm.

Cost Sharing or Match Requirement (cash or in-kind) Federal funds awarded under this program may not cover more than 80 percent of the total costs of the project being funded. Applicants must identify the source of the 20 percent non-federal portion of the total project costs and how they will use match funds. If a successful applicant’s proposed match exceeds the required match amount, and OJP approves the budget, the total match amount incorporated into the approved budget becomes mandatory and subject to audit. (Match is restricted to the same uses of funds as allowed for the federal funds.)

Applicants may satisfy this match requirement with either cash or in-kind services. The formula for calculating the match is:

Federal Award Amount = Adjusted (Total) Project Costs Federal Share Percentage

Required Recipient’s Share Percentage x Adjusted Project Cost = Required Match

Example: 80%/20% match requirement: for a federal award amount of $50,000, match would be calculated as follows:

$50,000 = $62,500 20% x $62,500 = $12,500 match 80%

Example: 80%/20% match requirement: for a federal award amount of $250,000, match would be calculated as follows:

$250,000 = $312,500 20% x $312,500 = $62,500 match 80% http://gfm.webfirst.com/ http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/index.htm

Example: 80%/20% match requirement: for a federal award amount of $200,000, match would be calculated as follows:

$200,000 = $250,000 20% x $250,000 = $50,000 match 80%

Pre-Agreement Cost Approvals OJP does not typically approve pre-agreement costs; an applicant must request and obtain the prior written approval of OJP for all such costs. If approved, pre-agreement costs could be paid from grant funds consistent with a grantee’s approved budget, and under applicable cost standards. However, all such costs prior to award and prior to approval of the costs are incurred at the sole risk of an applicant. Generally, no applicant should incur project costs before submitting an application requesting federal funding for those costs. Should there be extenuating circumstances that appear to be appropriate for OJP’s consideration as pre-agreement costs, the applicant should contact the point of contact listed on the title page of this announcement for details on the requirements for submitting a written request for approval. See the section on Costs Requiring Prior Approval in the Financial Guide, for more information.

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver With respect to any award of more than $250,000 made under this solicitation, recipients may not use federal funds to pay total cash compensation (salary plus cash bonuses) to any employee of the award recipient at a rate that exceeds 110 percent of the maximum annual salary payable to a member of the Federal Government’s Senior Executive Service (SES) at an agency with a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System for that year. 7 The 2015 salary table for SES employees is available on the Office of Personnel Management web site. Note: A recipient may compensate an employee at a greater rate, provided the amount in excess of this compensation limitation is paid with non-federal funds. (Any such additional compensation will not be considered matching funds where match requirements apply.)

The Assistant Attorney General for OJP may exercise discretion to waive, on an individual basis, the limitation on compensation rates allowable under an award. An applicant requesting a waiver should include a detailed justification in the budget narrative of the application. Unless the applicant submits a waiver request and justification with the application, the applicant should anticipate that OJP will request the applicant to adjust and resubmit the budget. Note: A waiver request will not be accepted if it was not submitted with the application.

The Compensation Waiver request must be submitted as a separate attachment and entitled “Waiver: Employee Compensation.”

The justification should include the particular qualifications and expertise of the individual, the uniqueness of the service the individual will provide, the individual’s specific knowledge of the program or project being undertaken with award funds, and a statement explaining that the individual’s salary is commensurate with the regular and customary rate for an individual with his/her qualifications and expertise, and for the work to be done.

7 This limitation on use of award funds does not apply to the non-profit organizations specifically named at Appendix VIII to 2 C.F.R. part 200.

http://ojp.gov/financialguide/index.htm http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/15Tables/exec/html/ES.aspx

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs OJP strongly encourages applicants that propose to use award funds for any conference-, meeting-, or training-related activity to review carefully—before submitting an application—the OJP policy and guidance on “conference” approval, planning, and reporting available at www.ojp.gov/financialguide/PostawardRequirements/chapter15page1.htm. OJP policy and guidance (1) encourage minimization of conference, meeting, and training costs; (2) require prior written approval (which may affect project timelines) of most such costs for cooperative agreement recipients and of some such costs for grant recipients; and (3) set cost limits, including a general prohibition of all food and beverage costs.

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) If an applicant proposes a program or activity that would deliver services or benefits to individuals, the costs of taking reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to those services or benefits for individuals with limited English proficiency may be allowable. Reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to services or benefits may include interpretation or translation services where appropriate.

For additional information, see the "Civil Rights Compliance" section under “Solicitation Requirements” in the OJP Funding Resource Center.

C. Eligibility Information

For additional eligibility information, see Title page.

Cost Sharing or Match Requirement For additional information on cost sharing and match requirement, see Section B. Federal Award Information.

Limit on Number of Application Submissions If an applicant submits multiple versions of the same application, BJA will review…