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The work of the National GAINS Center in the Justice System and the Technical Assistance and Policy Analysis (TAPA) Center for Jail Diversion are informed by the National GAINS Center, which has operated since 1995 as a national locus for the collection and dissemination of information about effective mental health and substance abuse services for people with co-occurring disorders in contact with the justice system. The TAPA Center for Jail Diversion and the Center for Evidence-Based Programs in the Justice System, funded by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) in 2001 and 2004 respectively, comprise the National GAINS Center.
The GAINS Center's primary focus is on expanding access to community based services for adults diagnosed with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders at all points of contact with the justice system. The Center emphasizes the provision of consultation and technical assistance to help communities achieve integrated systems of mental health and substance abuse services for individuals in contact with the justice system. To achieve this, the Center builds on its acronym:
G - gathering information
A - assessing what works
I - interpreting/integrating the facts
N - networking
S - stimulating change
The National GAINS Center in the Justice System is committed to the goal of transforming the nation's fragmented mental health system and developing a recovery-oriented, consumer-driven system of care as described in the report of the President's New Freedom Commission. The GAINS Center is uniquely poised to help states forge collaborations among the mental health, substance abuse, and criminal justice systems. To accomplish this, the GAINS Center will develop a comprehensive plan of information dissemination, knowledge application and technical assistance strategies to further the implementation of evidence-based programs in the justice system. The GAINS Center supports and engages in creative initiatives and collaboration with public and private organizations to effectively address the evolving needs of state and local planning and coordination.
The TAPA Center for Jail Diversion serves as the national source for all relevant jail diversion information and research, as well as a point of referral to other appropriate resources. In this function, TAPA generates new knowledge related to the implementation and evaluation of jail diversion programs and translates this information into tools for policy analysis and policy development. Additionally, the TAPA Center provides an appropriate array of technical assistance techniques and technology to enhance the capacity of communities to address problems that they encounter, to enrich their resources, and to plan for future growth and sustainability. TAPA coordinates with the Council of State Government's Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus Project, the technical assistance provider for the Bureau of Justice Assistance (Department of Justice) Mental Health Court Program. TAPA and CSG work closely together to consult on assistance to specific jurisdictions and to develop resources of general use to the field. Finally, the TAPA Center serves as the Coordinating Center and technical assistance provider for the CMHS TCE Jail Diversion grantees.
| Gains@prainc.com | The CMHS National GAINS Center | GainsTAPA@prainc.com |
| 800.311.GAIN | 866.518.TAPA | |
Funded by the Center for Mental Health Services of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration < Privacy Policy > For Alternative Access to Web Documents : Email gains@prainc.com  USA.gov is the U.S. government's official web portal to all federal, state and local government web resources and services. |
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