Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP)
The Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) promotes innovative cross-system collaboration and provides grants directly to states, local governments, and federally recognized Indian tribes. It is designed to improve responses to people with mental illnesses who are involved in the criminal justice system. JMHCP funding requires collaboration with a mental health agency.
JMHCP was authorized by Congress in 2004 through the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA). This grant program is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, and as of December 2019, had awarded more than $121 million in individual awards ranging from $100,000 to $750,000.
Since 2006, 531 JMHCP grants have been awarded to agencies and organizations in 49 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Guam and American Samoa. Grants are used for a broad range of activities, including:
- Police-mental health collaborations and training for law enforcement officials on safely resolving encounters with people experiencing a mental health crises;
- Diversion and alternative sentencing programs;
- Cross-training for criminal justice, mental health and substance use treatment personnel;
- Enhancing access to community-based healthcare services and coverage;
- Community supervision and reentry services; and
- Case management and other direct services.
In addition to its grants, JMHCP funds a number of other activities to support collaboration among the criminal justice, juvenile justice, mental health, and substance use treatment systems, including:
- Mental Health Learning Sites: Ten law enforcement agencies and four court-based sites selected by the CSG Justice Center and BJA to share their expertise with other criminal justice and mental health agencies and organizations.
- County Justice and Behavioral Health Improvement Project: A national initiative that uses qualitative and quantitative research to improve outcomes for people with mental illnesses in county criminal justice systems throughout the country.
- JMHCP Conferences: National events to promote peer learning and collaboration among criminal justice and behavioral health practitioners, policymakers, and experts across the country.
Key Staff
