Topic: Mental Health

Last Updated August 19, 2021

Background & Approach

Tulsa County, located in northeast Oklahoma, is the second most populous county in the state. Tulsa County implemented a two-way text messaging tool called Uptrust aimed at reducing failure-to-appear rates by reminding clients of upcoming court dates. Additionally, a case manager is embedded in the Tulsa County Public Defenders’ Office to provide direct client support and help clients use the tool to link to vital social service providers that assist with housing, transportation, and services that address underlying mental health and substance abuse disorders that have contributed to their entanglement in the criminal justice system. Public Defender clients receive cell phones with access to the Uptrust messaging tool as well as secure access to transportation to court appearances.

Tulsa County continues to engage with the Safety and Justice Challenge Network to rethink and redesign its criminal justice system so that it is more fair, just, and equitable for all.

Last Updated August 19, 2021

Background & Approach

The State of Delaware aimed to better support people with mental illness preparing to leave Delaware Department of Correction (DDOC) facilities. Three events were held to reach stakeholders including the Delaware Department of Correction, Delaware State Agencies, community providers, and community members. These events helped community members and providers understand the behavioral health intake and assessment process and clinical care provided in prison. The events also helped equip community providers to work with justice-involved people who have behavioral health conditions, and enhanced collaboration between community services providers, contracted DOC reentry staff, and Probation and Parole officers.

The State of Delaware continues to engage with the Safety and Justice Challenge Network to rethink and redesign its criminal justice system so that it is more fair, just, and equitable for all.

*Delaware has a unified correctional system, with no distinction between prisons and jails, and no county or city jails.

Last Updated August 19, 2021

Background & Approach

Santa Clara County is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay and contains the city of San Jose. Santa Clara County aimed to reduce the overall jail population through decreasing the use of money bail, maintaining manageable and low intensity supervision levels, diverting people with mental illness from jail to community treatment centers, increasing law enforcement agencies’ use of the Mission Street Recovery Station (sobering, mental health/drug triage), launching a public defender pre-arraignment representation unit, and continuing remote in-custody arraignments.

Santa Clara County also created strong policies and procedures to reduce racial and ethnic disparities. A new dashboard now visually highlights the inequities in the criminal justice system. The Re-entry Racial Equity Agency Leadership (REAL) Team developed key strategies to enhance opportunities for increasing equity within the county, such as bringing awareness to both staff and clients, streamlining and increasing access to services, and collaborating with other agencies on racial justice work.

Santa Clara County continues to engage with the Safety and Justice Challenge Network to rethink and redesign its criminal justice system so that it is more fair, just, and equitable for all.

Last Updated August 19, 2021

Background & Approach

Sangamon County is located in central Illinois and contains the state capital, Springfield. Sangamon County initially engaged in a planning process to determine whether it would be possible to design a Community Crisis Center that would divert adults with mental illness or co-occurring disorders from jail to treatment and services. Though the Community Crisis Center was ultimately not feasible, its multidisciplinary planning team brought together community groups and leaders who might not otherwise have had the chance to collaborate. Partners in the team have continued to collaborate and build new, related initiatives, such as a Jail Population Review Team, Living Room Model, Assistant Outpatient Treatment Program, Survivor Trauma Center, Crisis Line, Outpatient Competency Restoration Program, and Law Enforcement Agency Response Network.

Sangamon County continues to engage with the Safety and Justice Challenge Network to rethink and redesign its criminal justice system so that it is more fair, just, and equitable for all.

Last Updated August 19, 2021

Background & Approach

Polk County in south-central Iowa is the state’s most populous county and the home of the state capitol, Des Moines. Polk County expanded the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training program to better prepare patrol officers to respond to mental health crises and divert people to treatment, rather than arresting them. Officers were trained to be CIT trainers, several sessions were held to train seasoned officers, and new officers received training at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy Basic Academy to better understand mental health symptoms and available community resources. The Ankeny Police Department also implemented a Community Engagement Team where CIT-trained officers could follow up on all mental health calls for service. They now check in with individuals and provide a warm hand-off to mental health services and supports. Polk County’s quarterly meeting brought together law enforcement agencies, behavioral health providers, and crisis services providers to discuss successes, resources, and barriers. It also allowed trusting relationships to grow between all of these agencies working together to redirect people away from the criminal justice system and toward the services they need.

Polk County continues to engage with the Safety and Justice Challenge Network to rethink and redesign its criminal justice system so that it is more fair, just, and equitable for all.