Alaska Division of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities

The Community Care Alternatives Project (CCAP) is a post-booking, pre-trial jail diversion program that targets adults with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders arrested on non-violent misdemeanor charges. Staff clinicians screen candidates for diversion before trial in addition to taking referrals from Anchorage jail personnel. The Municipal Prosecutor makes the determination to divert individuals from arraignment and formal charges. Charges are held in abeyance for 6 to 12 months and may be ultimately dismissed pending successful completion of treatment. For diverted individuals, CCAP staff initiates community-based services including medical and psychiatric care, psychosocial rehabilitation, treatment for co-occurring disorders, and emergency services. Since receiving funds, the CCAP has established a successful a consumer advisory panel, which has formed a support group for persons experiencing mental illness who have been incarcerated. In addition, the CCAP has received positive newspaper and television coverage and is presenting at both the annual NAMI State Conference and the Annual School of Addictions. Memoranda of Agreement have been established among key stakeholders.

Florida Department of Children and Families (Miami- Dade County)

The Eleventh Judicial Circuit has implemented a jail diversion program involving both pre- and post-booking procedures. The program's mission statement is “Diversion and linkage to comprehensive care will make jail the last resort.” Pre-booking diversion is carried out by trained Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) officers in 10 police departments when responding to calls. If the officers determine diversion is appropriate, they bring the individuals to a Community Mental Health Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) for evaluation, treatment, service referrals. Screening for post-booking diversion is completed within 48 hours after the arrest, and persons with mental illness are transported to a CSU for treatment. The program also provides assistance accessing mental health services in the community, finding residential treatment and/or housing and obtaining ID cards. The program holds monthly meetings with key stakeholders to facilitate communication. Since receiving funds, the Eleventh Judicial Court diversion program has developed created and organized a management team and recruited additional police departments to receive CIT training.

Shelby County Government, TN (Memphis)

Shelby County Government, Pretrial Services, and the Public Defender's Office have implemented a post-booking jail diversion program in cooperation with Foundations Associates, a community provider of integrated treatment services, and other local providers within the Mayor's Jail Mental Health Network. Pre-trial Services and Public Defenders Office refer potential candidates with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders to Foundation Associates through Roundtable meetings, which are tri-weekly opportunities to discuss client cases, community linkage plans and recommendations for diversion. It is the function of the Roundtable meetings to determine the client's eligibility for diversion and to develop linkage and treatment plans, which are then subject to approval by the judge. Depending on the individual's needs, the treatment provided by Foundations Associates and other community providers may include residential treatment, case management; psychopharmacologic treatment; vocational rehabilitation; outpatient, individual, group, and family therapy; psychoeducation; prevention and education; and 12-step treatment and interventions.

Center for Health Care Services, Bexar County, TX (San Antonio)

The Sano y Salvo program of Bexar County incorporates both pre- and post-booking diversion, focusing on diverting from minor non-violent offenses, but not ruling out serious criminal offenses. Pre-booking diversion consists of a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) and a Deputy Mobile Outreach Team of a mental health professional riding with a mental health-trained sheriff. Individuals are also screened post-booking and can obtain release from the jail through a mental health bond, referral to services, and transportation from jail to treatment facilities through the Pre-Trial Services Program as well as in Magistrates Court prior to booking and incarceration through the Magistration Screening Program. Successes of the Sano y Salvo program since receiving funds include creating and dispatching the Crisis Intervention Team, modifying internal police department policy and procedures to accommodate the program, implementing central mental health screening, expanding statewide awareness through presentations, and being endorsed as a model for statewide implementation by the State Legislature and the Texas (Chapter of the) National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

Jackson County, MO (Kansas City)

The Jackson County project is a pre-booking diversion program for adults with severe and persistent mental illness who are facing possible misdemeanor charges. Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) officers screen individuals upon responding to a call and contact the designated community mental health center (CMHC) if the individual appears to need treatment services. The CMHC determines whether the individual meets the criteria for the project. Enrolled individuals receive a full psychosocial assessment and are assigned a case manager by the CMHC. The case manager assists program participants in accessing treatment services, which may include respite, inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, partial hospitalization, and emergency medications.

Lancaster County, NE (Lincoln)

Lancaster County 's post-diversion project screens individuals for mental illness upon booking into jail. A Mental Health Clinician reviews charges and criminal history, conducts clinical assessments, and makes diversion recommendations to the judge at or post-arraignment. Individuals approved by the judge are granted Personal Recognizance Bonds with conditions and released to the jail diversion program. An Intensive Case Manager helps the individual to find housing and employment, access entitlement funds, and schedule medical and psychiatric appointments. The role of the Intensive Case Manager decreases over time as the individual becomes connected with community resources. In addition, the program has added a peer support component and has involved consumers in program planning, implementation and evaluation. Since receiving funds, the Lancaster County Mental Health Diversion Project has had positive results, with the large majority of those who were granted diversion experiencing success in finding housing, abstaining from substances, and adjusting to the community.

Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (New Britain/Bristol)

The Women's Treatment and Support Diversion (WTSD) Program is a post-booking diversion program targeting adult women experiencing co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Potential clients are identified by court or program staff before arraignment, and program staff members conduct a clinical screen to determine eligibility and develop a treatment proposal which is subject to court approval. With approval, the individuals are released with condition of participating in the program, which has both treatment and support components. Treatment includes a weekly group to address relevant issues, a nine week skills/education group employing the TARGET model to address the effects of trauma, individual sessions, and psychiatric care. Support includes outreach to participants; assistance with basic needs, and funds for personal items, immediate access to a shelter bed, child care, psychiatric care, and transportation to treatment. Since receiving funds, the WSTD Program has received positive feedback from participants who appreciated the handling of case management and the financial assistance to meet their basic needs, which allowed them to focus on treatment and engagement with the program.