CMHS funds national Transformation Center continuing work of GAINS Center

In September 2007 SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) strengthened its investment in the transformative partnership between mental health and criminal justice systems and services in the U.S. through its funding of the CMHS National GAINS Center for five more years.  The CMHS National GAINS Center is the nexus for information and technical assistance for programs, systems, professionals, and consumer groups who serve persons with mental illness who are justice involved.

Underscoring the central role that linkages between the criminal justice and mental health systems play in mental health system transformation, the new activities of the CMHS National GAINS Center will be implemented through the newly awarded CMHS Transformation Center (CTC) contract to Policy Research Associates, Inc.  In addition to the criminal justice/mental health partnerships and related activities of the GAINS Center, the CTC will also include a major initiative to provide technical assistance and support to the nine states funded under CMHS Mental Health Transformation State Incentive Grant (MHTSIG) Program.  At the current time, these states are Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas and Washington.

Among the major 5 year activities for the GAINS Center under CTC funding will be:

• Development of an ongoing National Behavioral Health – Criminal Justice Services Leadership Forum
• Creation of a criminal justice-focused trauma services program for jail and community-based service systems serving returning combat veterans with PTSD
• Expansion of the “Adaptations of Evidence-Based Practices for Justice-Involved Persons” to include additional EBPs
• Collaborative planning and support, in partnership with the Council of State Governments, of the activities of the Judges' Leadership Initiative
• Further development of the “After the Crisis” Initiative and Peer Support Models
• A bi-annual CMHS National GAINS Center Conference

The CMHS National GAINS Center is pleased to continue in its role leading transformation at the interfaces of the criminal justice and mental health fields.  Through the CTC, the GAINS Center will continue its promotion and support of systems transformation efforts by gathering information, assessing what works, integrating findings, networking with systems and providers and stimulating change, with the ultimate goal of providing effective services to justice-involved individuals with mental illness.  For additional information, please visit the Center’s website at www.gainscenter.samhsa.gov.