Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
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.
JMHCP funding requires collaboration with a mental health agency and is designed to improve responses to people with mental illnesses who are involved in the criminal justice system.
JMHCP was reauthorized by Congress in 2008 through the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA). In 2016, it was amended by the 21st Century Cures Act, which provided for JMHCP as well as mental health courts. This grant program is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). As of January 2022, JMHCP has awarded more than $189.6 million in awards ranging from $100,000 to $750,000.
Since 2006, 619 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 to help them safely resolve encounters with people experiencing a mental health crisis;
- Diversion and alternative sentencing programs;
- Cross-training for criminal justice, mental health, and substance use treatment personnel;
- Enhancing access to community-based health care services and coverage;
- Community supervision and reentry services;
- Case management and other direct services;
- Mitigating threats of targeted violence; and
- Strengthening juvenile justice systems to improve outcomes for youth.
In addition to its grants, JMHCP funds a number of initiatives to support collaboration among the criminal justice, juvenile justice, mental health, and substance use treatment systems, including:
- The Center for Justice and Mental Health Partnerships: The training and support center offers free training, resources, and support to communities wanting to improve outcomes or enhance current responses for people in their criminal justice systems who have a mental illness or co-occurring substance use disorder.
- Mental Health Learning Sites: Four court-based sites were selected by the CSG Justice Center and BJA to share their expertise with other criminal justice and mental health agencies and organizations.
- JMHCP Conferences: National events to promote peer learning and collaboration among criminal justice and behavioral health practitioners, policymakers, and experts across the country.
- Law Enforcement-Mental Health Learning Sites: Fourteen programs serve as peer resources to grantees and communities across the country looking to build collaborative responses to people who have mental health needs.
The Center for Justice and Mental Health Partnerships
The Center for Justice and Mental Health Partnerships offers free training, resources, and support to communities wanting to improve outcomes or enhance current responses for people in their criminal justice systems who have a mental illness or co-occurring substance use disorder.
The training and support center is administered by the CSG Justice Center with support from BJA.
Field Notes is a series that elevates research-driven strategies and innovations from the field to the field to advance justice and mental health collaborations.

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