Subject:
Title
Grant Application to the U.S. Department of Justice for the Fiscal Year 2021 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration program.
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval by the Department Director for the grant application to the Department of Justice Fiscal Year 2021 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration program.
• The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program offers grants to help entities prepare, create, or expand comprehensive plans to implement collaboration programs that target preliminarily qualified offenders and promote public safety and public health for people with mental illness (MI) or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse (CMISA) involved in the justice system.
• The proposed Mental Health Pre-Trial Intervention (MHPTI) Court Model would divert individuals with serious MI or CMISA away from the criminal justice system and into community-based treatment and support services.
• Key partners for this project include the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court, State Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Directions for Living, and Suncoast Center.
• If awarded, the project will begin 10/01/2021 and conclude 09/30/2024.
• Pinellas County is seeking a total award of $550,000.00 over three years to pilot a mental health court pretrial intervention model
• This solicitation requires a 20% cash and/or in-kind match in years one (1) and two (2), and, a 40% cash and/or in-kind match in year three (3). In-kind match is anticipated from the Court and key partner agencies, totaling $231,250.00 over the grant period.
Body
Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.2 Be a facilitator, convener, and purchaser of services for those in need
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.1 Maximize partner relationships and public outreach
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources
Summary:
Under the Justice and Mental Health Collaborative Program, the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court will work with multiple stakeholders to plan for and implement a pilot Mental Health Court to divert third degree felony offenders, and potentially select misdemeanor cases with serious mental health disorders and possible co-occurring substance abuse disorders, away from the criminal justice system and into community-based treatment and support services.
The proposed Mental Health Pre-Trial Intervention (MHPTI) Court Model would divert individuals with serious mental illness(es) or co-occurring serious mental health illness(es) and substance use disorder(s) away from the criminal justice system and into community-based treatment and support services. The Mental Health Court will provide an efficient, cost-effective solution, eliminate gaps in services, and forge productive and innovative relationships among all stakeholders while providing appropriate treatment and safety to the community and one of the community’s most vulnerable populations.
Background/Explanation:
The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program supports cross-system collaboration to improve public safety responses and outcomes for individuals with mental illnesses or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse who come into contact with the justice system. This program supports public safety efforts through partnerships with social services and other organizations that will enhance responses to people with MI and CMISA.
Pinellas County has a long collaborative relationship with the criminal justice agencies and community treatment providers for the Circuit’s problem solving courts including the Adult Drug Court, Juvenile Diversion Drug Court, Veteran’s Treatment Court, Prison Diversion Drug Court and Dependency Treatment Court. All problem-solving courts work to promote public safety, improve the health and quality of life for clients, and decrease costs to taxpayers. Pinellas County has worked diligently in the specific area of mental health to fashion a systems-wide strategy to effectively create behavioral health related diversion interventions for people who have mental illnesses and substance use disorders within its community. There exists within Pinellas County a variety of programs targeting persons with mental illnesses that are considered frequent utilizers of the Justice System. These include a Pinellas County Empowerment Team Behavioral Health Pilot, now in its second iteration; a High Risk/High Need Utilization Program of managing entity Central Florida Behavioral Health Network; a Florida Department of Health Care Coordinator program; a Public Defender-run Mentally Ill Jail Diversion program; a Sheriff’s Office-run Mental Health Unit and Co-Responding Model; an Assisted Outpatient Program for the mentally ill; and adult drug court which treats defendants with co-occurring disorders.
The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration stakeholders would like to add a Mental Health Court to the County’s toolbox of behavioral health diversion interventions. A Mental Health Court, as a post-booking diversion, would address a number of continuing barriers to identifying and treating frequent utilizers as identified in a 2018 CUNY Institute for State & Local Governance Report of 10 U.S. jurisdictions, which included Pinellas County.
Fiscal Impact:
Funding in an amount not to exceed $550,000.00 is provided over three (3) years by the Justice and Mental Health Collaborative Program from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance. There is a match requirement of 20% cash and/or in-kind match in years one (1) and two (2), and, a 40% cash and/or in-kind match in year three (3). In-kind match is anticipated from key partner agencies, totaling $231,250.00 over the grant period. Total value of federal funds plus in-kind match is $781,250.00.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the Department Director to sign this grant application was delegated by the County Administrator per the memo dated March 28, 2016 titled “Delegation of Authority by the County Administrator and Improved Grant Procedures.”
Staff Member Responsible:
Karen Yatchum, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Sixth Judicial Circuit of the Florida State Courts System
Sixth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office
Sixth Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s Office
Directions for Living
Suncoast Center
Attachments:
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)
Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire
Certified Standard Assurances
Certifications Regarding Lobbying, Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility
Intent to Apply Approval
Grant Solicitation