NCJ Number
217283
Date Published
January 2007
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This case study of Orange County (Florida) describes how collaboration between corrections and mental health organizations has produced joint strategies and a range of new programs that benefit individuals who are at the intersection of the criminal justice, mental health, and substance abuse systems.
Abstract
One key feature of the collaboration is a specialized response team in each of the county's 12 law enforcement agencies. Officers who serve on these teams have received training that qualifies them to be part of a team that responds to situations that involve persons with mental illness. Another result of the collaboration was the creation of a receiving center for individuals in crisis. The Central Receiving Center is an acute crisis assessment site for individuals with mental illness and/or substance abuse disorders. Without the center, these people would be taken to the jail or local emergency rooms. The collaboration has also resulted in the development of the Mental Health Pretrial Release program. This program identifies jail detainees with mental illness who could be safely supervised in the community, develops a treatment plan for them, and connects them to services while they wait for the disposition of their cases. The post-booking treatment diversion program, another result of the collaboration, targets jail inmates with nonviolent charges who have co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. The program links these individuals to treatment through treatment diversion courts. Currently, a mechanism is being developed that will allow expedited case processing meetings for jail detainees who are misdemeanor offenders with mental illness or co-occurring disorders. A plan is also underway to provide temporary housing and referral services for homeless individuals with mental health and substance abuse problems.