Adult and juvenile collaboration programs
Definitions
In this section, the following definitions shall apply:
Applicant
Collaboration program
The term “collaboration program” means a program to promote public safety by ensuring access to adequate mental health and other treatment services for mentally ill adults or juveniles that is overseen cooperatively by—
a criminal or juvenile justice agency or a mental health court; and
a mental health agency.
Criminal or juvenile justice agency
Diversion and alternative prosecution and sentencing
In general
Appropriate use
Graduated sanctions
Mental health agency
Mental health court
Mental illness; mental health disorder
The terms “mental illness” and “mental health disorder” mean a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder—
of sufficient duration to meet diagnostic criteria within the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association; and
that, in the case of an adult, has resulted in functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits 1 or more major life activities; or
that, in the case of a juvenile, has resulted in functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits the juvenile’s role or functioning in family, school, or community activities.
Nonviolent offense
Preliminarily qualified offender
In general
The term “preliminarily qualified offender” means an adult or juvenile accused of an offense who—
previously or currently has been diagnosed by a qualified mental health professional as having a mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders;
manifests obvious signs of mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders during arrest or confinement or before any court; or
in the case of a veterans treatment court provided under subsection (i), has been diagnosed with, or manifests obvious signs of, mental illness or a substance abuse disorder or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorder;
has been unanimously approved for participation in a program funded under this section by, when appropriate—
the relevant—
prosecuting attorney;
defense attorney;
probation or corrections official; and
judge; and
a representative from the relevant mental health agency described in subsection (b)(5)(B)(i);
has been determined, by each person described in clause (ii) who is involved in approving the adult or juvenile for participation in a program funded under this section, to not pose a risk of violence to any person in the program, or the public, if selected to participate in the program; and
has not been charged with or convicted of—
any sex offense (as defined in section 20911 of this title) or any offense relating to the sexual exploitation of children; or
murder or assault with intent to commit murder.
Determination
In determining whether to designate a defendant as a preliminarily qualified offender, the relevant prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, probation or corrections official, judge, and mental health or substance abuse agency representative shall take into account—
whether the participation of the defendant in the program would pose a substantial risk of violence to the community;
the criminal history of the defendant and the nature and severity of the offense for which the defendant is charged;
the views of any relevant victims to the offense;
the extent to which the defendant would benefit from participation in the program;
the extent to which the community would realize cost savings because of the defendant’s participation in the program; and
whether the defendant satisfies the eligibility criteria for program participation unanimously established by the relevant prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, probation or corrections official, judge and mental health or substance abuse agency representative.
Secretary
Unit of local government
Planning and implementation grants
In general
Purposes
Grants awarded under this section shall be used to create or expand—
mental health courts or other court-based programs for preliminarily qualified offenders;
programs that offer specialized training to the officers and employees of a criminal or juvenile justice agency and mental health personnel serving those with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse problems in procedures for identifying the symptoms of preliminarily qualified offenders in order to respond appropriately to individuals with such illnesses;
programs that support cooperative efforts by criminal and juvenile justice agencies and mental health agencies to promote public safety by offering mental health treatment services and, where appropriate, substance abuse treatment services for—
preliminarily qualified offenders with mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders; or
adult offenders with mental illness during periods of incarceration, while under the supervision of a criminal justice agency, or following release from correctional facilities; and
programs that support intergovernmental cooperation between State and local governments with respect to the mentally ill offender.
Applications
In general
Combined planning and implementation grant application
Planning grants
Application
Contents
Period of grant
Collaboration set aside
Implementation grants
Application
Collaboration
To receive an implementation grant, the joint applicants shall—
document that at least 1 criminal or juvenile justice agency (which can include a mental health court) and 1 mental health agency will participate in the administration of the collaboration program;
describe the responsibilities of each participating agency, including how each agency will use grant resources to provide supervision of offenders and jointly ensure that the provision of mental health treatment services and substance abuse services for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders are coordinated, which may range from consultation or collaboration to integration in a single setting or treatment model;
in the case of an application from a unit of local government, document that a State mental health authority has provided comment and review; and
involve, to the extent practicable, in developing the grant application—
preliminarily qualified offenders;
the families and advocates of such individuals under subclause (I); and
advocates for victims of crime.
Content
To be eligible for an implementation grant, joint applicants shall comply with the following:
Definition of target population
Applicants for an implementation grant shall—
describe the population with mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders that is targeted for the collaboration program; and
develop guidelines that can be used by personnel of an adult or juvenile justice agency to identify preliminarily qualified offenders.
Services
Applicants for an implementation grant shall—
ensure that preliminarily qualified offenders who are to receive treatment services under the collaboration program will first receive individualized, validated, needs-based assessments to determine, plan, and coordinate the most appropriate services for such individuals;
specify plans for making mental health, or mental health and substance abuse, treatment services available and accessible to preliminarily qualified offenders at the time of their release from the criminal justice system, including outside of normal business hours;
ensure that there are substance abuse personnel available to respond appropriately to the treatment needs of preliminarily qualified offenders;
determine eligibility for Federal benefits;
ensure that preliminarily qualified offenders served by the collaboration program will have adequate supervision and access to effective and appropriate community-based mental health services, including, in the case of individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders, coordinated services, which may range from consultation or collaboration to integration in a single setting treatment model;
make available, to the extent practicable, other support services that will ensure the preliminarily qualified offender’s successful reintegration into the community (such as housing, education, job placement, mentoring, and health care and benefits, as well as the services of faith-based and community organizations for mentally ill individuals served by the collaboration program); and
include strategies, to the extent practicable, to address developmental and learning disabilities and problems arising from a documented history of physical or sexual abuse.
Housing and job placement
Policies and procedures
Financial
Applicants for an implementation grant shall—
explain the applicant’s inability to fund the collaboration program adequately without Federal assistance;
specify how the Federal support provided will be used to supplement, and not supplant, State, local, Indian tribe, or tribal organization sources of funding that would otherwise be available, including billing third-party resources for services already covered under programs (such as Medicaid, Medicare, and the State Children’s Insurance Program); and
outline plans for obtaining necessary support and continuing the proposed collaboration program following the conclusion of Federal support.
Outcomes
Applicants for an implementation grant shall—
identify methodology and outcome measures, as required by the Attorney General and the Secretary, to be used in evaluating the effectiveness of the collaboration program;
ensure mechanisms are in place to capture data, consistent with the methodology and outcome measures under clause (i); and
submit specific agreements from affected agencies to provide the data needed by the Attorney General and the Secretary to accomplish the evaluation under clause (i).
State plans
Use of funds
Applicants that receive an implementation grant may use funds for 1 or more of the following purposes:
Mental health courts and diversion/alternative prosecution and sentencing programs
Training
Funds may be used to create or expand programs, such as crisis intervention training, which offer specialized training to—
criminal justice system personnel to identify and respond appropriately to the unique needs of preliminarily qualified offenders; or
mental health system personnel to respond appropriately to the treatment needs of preliminarily qualified offenders.
Service delivery
In-jail and transitional services
Teams addressing frequent users of crisis services
Multidisciplinary teams that—
coordinate, implement, and administer community-based crisis responses and long-term plans for frequent users of crisis services;
provide training on how to respond appropriately to the unique issues involving frequent users of crisis services for public service personnel, including criminal justice, mental health, substance abuse, emergency room, healthcare, law enforcement, corrections, and housing personnel;
develop or support alternatives to hospital and jail admissions for frequent users of crisis services that provide treatment, stabilization, and other appropriate supports in the least restrictive, yet appropriate, environment; and
develop protocols and systems among law enforcement, mental health, substance abuse, housing, corrections, and emergency medical service operations to provide coordinated assistance to frequent users of crisis services.
Geographic distribution of grants
Priority
The Attorney General, in awarding funds under this section, shall give priority to applications that—
promote effective strategies by law enforcement to identify and to reduce risk of harm to mentally ill offenders and public safety;
promote effective strategies for identification and treatment of female mentally ill offenders;
promote effective strategies to expand the use of mental health courts, including the use of pretrial services and related treatment programs for offenders;
propose interventions that have been shown by empirical evidence to reduce recidivism;
when appropriate, use validated assessment tools to target preliminarily qualified offenders with a moderate or high risk of recidivism and a need for treatment and services; or
demonstrate the strongest commitment to ensuring that such funds are used to promote both public health and public safety;
demonstrate the active participation of each co-applicant in the administration of the collaboration program;
document, in the case of an application for a grant to be used in whole or in part to fund treatment services for adults or juveniles during periods of incarceration or detention, that treatment programs will be available to provide transition and reentry services for such individuals; and
have the support of both the Attorney General and the Secretary.
Matching requirements
Federal share
The Federal share of the cost of a collaboration program carried out by a State, unit of local government, Indian tribe, or tribal organization under this section shall not exceed—
80 percent of the total cost of the program during the first 2 years of the grant;
60 percent of the total cost of the program in year 3; and
25 percent of the total cost of the program in years 4 and 5.
Non-Federal share
Federal use of funds
The Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary, in administering grants under this section, shall use not less than 6 percent of funds appropriated to—
research the use of alternatives to prosecution through pretrial diversion in appropriate cases involving individuals with mental illness;
offer specialized training to personnel of criminal and juvenile justice agencies in appropriate diversion techniques;
provide technical assistance to local governments, mental health courts, and diversion programs, including technical assistance relating to program evaluation;
help localities build public understanding and support for community reintegration of individuals with mental illness;
develop a uniform program evaluation process; and
conduct a national evaluation of the collaboration program that will include an assessment of its cost-effectiveness.
Interagency task force
In general
Responsibilities
The task force established under paragraph (1) shall—
identify policies within their departments that hinder or facilitate local collaborative initiatives for preliminarily qualified offenders; and
submit, not later than 2 years after
Collaboration set-aside
Law enforcement response to mentally ill offenders improvement grants
Authorization
The Attorney General is authorized to make grants under this section to States, units of local government, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations for the following purposes:
Training programs
Receiving centers
Improved technology
Cooperative programs
Campus security personnel training
Academy training
BJA training models
Matching funds
Priority consideration
Assisting veterans
Definitions
In this subsection:
Peer-to-peer services or programs
Qualified veteran
The term “qualified veteran” means a preliminarily qualified offender who—
served on active duty in any branch of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserves; and
was discharged or released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable, unless the reason for the dishonorable discharge was attributable to a substance abuse disorder.
Veterans treatment court program
The term “veterans treatment court program” means a court program involving collaboration among criminal justice, veterans, and mental health and substance abuse agencies that provides qualified veterans with—
intensive judicial supervision and case management, which may include random and frequent drug testing where appropriate;
a full continuum of treatment services, including mental health services, substance abuse services, medical services, and services to address trauma;
alternatives to incarceration; or
other appropriate services, including housing, transportation, mentoring, employment, job training, education, or assistance in applying for and obtaining available benefits.
Veterans assistance program
In general
The Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, may award grants under this subsection to applicants to establish or expand—
veterans treatment court programs;
peer-to-peer services or programs for qualified veterans;
practices that identify and provide treatment, rehabilitation, legal, transitional, and other appropriate services to qualified veterans who have been incarcerated; or
training programs to teach criminal justice, law enforcement, corrections, mental health, and substance abuse personnel how to identify and appropriately respond to incidents involving qualified veterans.
Priority
In awarding grants under this subsection, the Attorney General shall give priority to applications that—
demonstrate collaboration between and joint investments by criminal justice, mental health, substance abuse, and veterans service agencies;
promote effective strategies to identify and reduce the risk of harm to qualified veterans and public safety; and
propose interventions with empirical support to improve outcomes for qualified veterans.
Forensic assertive community treatment (FACT) initiative program
In general
Allowable uses
Grant funds awarded under this subsection may be used for—
multidisciplinary team initiatives for individuals with mental illnesses with criminal justice involvement that address criminal justice involvement as part of treatment protocols;
FACT programs that involve mental health professionals, criminal justice agencies, chemical dependency specialists, nurses, psychiatrists, vocational specialists, forensic peer specialists, forensic specialists, and dedicated administrative support staff who work together to provide recovery oriented, 24/7 wraparound services;
services such as integrated evidence-based practices for the treatment of co-occurring mental health and substance-related disorders, assertive outreach and engagement, community-based service provision at participants’ residence or in the community, psychiatric rehabilitation, recovery oriented services, services to address criminogenic risk factors, and community tenure;
payments for treatment providers that are approved by the State or Indian Tribe and licensed, if necessary, to provide needed treatment to eligible offenders participating in the program, including behavioral health services and aftercare supervision; and
training for all FACT teams to promote high-fidelity practice principles and technical assistance to support effective and continuing integration with criminal justice agency partners.
Supplement and not supplant
Applications
Sequential intercept grants
Definition
Authorization
Sequential intercept mapping; implementation
An eligible entity that receives a grant under this subsection may use funds for—
sequential intercept mapping, which—
shall consist of—
convening mental health and criminal justice stakeholders to—
develop a shared understanding of the flow of justice-involved individuals with mental illnesses through the criminal justice system; and
identify opportunities for improved collaborative responses to the risks and needs of individuals described in item (aa); and
developing strategies to address gaps in services and bring innovative and effective programs to scale along multiple intercepts, including—
emergency and crisis services;
specialized police-based responses;
court hearings and disposition alternatives;
reentry from jails and prisons; and
community supervision, treatment and support services; and
may serve as a starting point for the development of strategic plans to achieve positive public health and safety outcomes; and
implementation, which shall—
be derived from the strategic plans described in subparagraph (A)(ii); and
consist of—
hiring and training personnel;
identifying the eligible entity’s target population;
providing services and supports to reduce unnecessary penetration into the criminal justice system;
reducing recidivism;
evaluating the impact of the eligible entity’s approach; and
planning for the sustainability of effective interventions.
Correctional facilities
Definitions
Correctional facility
Eligible inmate
The term “eligible inmate” means an individual who—
is being held, detained, or incarcerated in a correctional facility; and
manifests obvious signs of a mental illness or has been diagnosed by a qualified mental health professional as having a mental illness.
Correctional facility grants
The Attorney General may award grants to applicants to enhance the capabilities of a correctional facility—
to identify and screen for eligible inmates;
to plan and provide—
initial and periodic assessments of the clinical, medical, and social needs of inmates; and
appropriate treatment and services that address the mental health and substance abuse needs of inmates;
to develop, implement, and enhance—
post-release transition plans for eligible inmates that, in a comprehensive manner, coordinate health, housing, medical, employment, and other appropriate services and public benefits;
the availability of mental health care services and substance abuse treatment services; and
alternatives to solitary confinement and segregated housing and mental health screening and treatment for inmates placed in solitary confinement or segregated housing; and
to train each employee of the correctional facility to identify and appropriately respond to incidents involving inmates with mental health or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.
Accountability
All grants awarded by the Attorney General under this section shall be subject to the following accountability provisions:
Audit requirement
Definition
Audits
Mandatory exclusion
Priority
Reimbursement
If an entity is awarded grant funds under this section during the 2-fiscal-year period during which the entity is barred from receiving grants under subparagraph (C), the Attorney General shall—
deposit an amount equal to the amount of the grant funds that were improperly awarded to the grantee into the General Fund of the Treasury; and
seek to recoup the costs of the repayment to the fund from the grant recipient that was erroneously awarded grant funds.
Nonprofit organization requirements
Definition
Prohibition
Disclosure
Conference expenditures
Limitation
Written approval
Report
Annual certification
Beginning in the first fiscal year beginning after
indicating whether—
all audits issued by the Office of the Inspector General under paragraph (1) have been completed and reviewed by the appropriate Assistant Attorney General or Director;
all mandatory exclusions required under paragraph (1)(C) have been issued; and
all reimbursements required under paragraph (1)(E) have been made; and
that includes a list of any grant recipients excluded under paragraph (1) from the previous year.
Preventing duplicative grants
In general
Report
If the Attorney General awards duplicate grants to the same applicant for the same purpose the Attorney General shall submit to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives a report that includes—
a list of all duplicate grants awarded, including the total dollar amount of any duplicate grants awarded; and
the reason the Attorney General awarded the duplicate grants.
Authorization of appropriations
In general
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Justice to carry out this section—
$50,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2006 and 2007; and
$50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2017 through 2021.
Allocation of funding for administrative purposes
Limitation
Source
(Pub. L. 90–351, title I, § 2991, as added Pub. L. 108–414, § 4(a),Notes
References in Text
Codification
Amendments
Findings
Communities nationwide are struggling to respond to the high numbers of people with mental illnesses involved at all points in the criminal justice system.
A 1999 study by the Department of Justice estimated that 16 percent of people incarcerated in prisons and jails in the United States, which is more than 300,000 people, suffer from mental illnesses.
Los Angeles County Jail and New York’s Rikers Island jail complex hold more people with mental illnesses than the largest psychiatric inpatient facilities in the United States.
State prisoners with a mental health problem are twice as likely as those without a mental health problem to have been homeless in the year before their arrest.”
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, over 16 percent of adults incarcerated in United States jails and prisons have a mental illness.
According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, approximately 20 percent of youth in the juvenile justice system have serious mental health problems, and a significant number have co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.
According to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, up to 40 percent of adults who suffer from a serious mental illness will come into contact with the American criminal justice system at some point in their lives.
According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, over 150,000 juveniles who come into contact with the juvenile justice system each year meet the diagnostic criteria for at least 1 mental or emotional disorder.
A significant proportion of adults with a serious mental illness who are involved with the criminal justice system are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness, and many of these individuals are arrested and jailed for minor, nonviolent offenses.
The majority of individuals with a mental illness or emotional disorder who are involved in the criminal or juvenile justice systems are responsive to medical and psychological interventions that integrate treatment, rehabilitation, and support services.
Collaborative programs between mental health, substance abuse, and criminal or juvenile justice systems that ensure the provision of services for those with mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders can reduce the number of such individuals in adult and juvenile corrections facilities, while providing improved public safety.”
Purpose
protect public safety by intervening with adult and juvenile offenders with mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders;
provide courts, including existing and new mental health courts, with appropriate mental health and substance abuse treatment options;
maximize the use of alternatives to prosecution through graduated sanctions in appropriate cases involving nonviolent offenders with mental illness;
promote adequate training for criminal justice system personnel about mental illness and substance abuse disorders and the appropriate responses to people with such illnesses;
promote adequate training for mental health and substance abuse treatment personnel about criminal offenders with mental illness or co-occurring substance abuse disorders and the appropriate response to such offenders in the criminal justice system;
promote communication among adult or juvenile justice personnel, mental health and co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders treatment personnel, nonviolent offenders with mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders, and support services such as housing, job placement, community, faith-based, and crime victims organizations; and
promote communication, collaboration, and intergovernmental partnerships among municipal, county, and State elected officials with respect to mentally ill offenders.”