Recent Grants

The Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Response Program aims to enhance collaboration between law enforcement and behavioral health services to improve public safety and health outcomes for people with behavioral health conditions, intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and/or traumatic brain injuries who interact with the criminal justice system. The program encourages the development of new or improved deflection and diversion initiatives that engage people at their first point of contact with law enforcement.

FY2025 programmatic priority consideration will be given to projects that:

• Promote effective strategies for identification and treatment of females with behavioral health disorders who are involved with the criminal justice system.
• Promote effective strategies to expand the use of mental health courts and related services.
• Propose interventions that have been shown by empirical evidence to reduce recidivism.
• When appropriate, use validated assessment tools to identify and prioritize individuals with a moderate or high risk of recidivism and a need for treatment services.
• Demonstrate and ensure that funds are used for public health and public safety.
• Demonstrate active participation of co-applicants in administering the program.
• Document, in whole or in part, that funds used for treatment of incarcerated populations will provide transition and reentry services for such individuals.

Examples of allowable costs include:

• Design and implement a crisis response program such as case management, crisis intervention teams, co-responder teams, and mobile crisis teams
• Training and coordination for police-mental health collaboration
• Data collection to inform practices and develop policies
• Resident engagement via outreach and education to improve public health and safety
• Enhancement of officer knowledge and skills in responding to community members with mental health disorders
• Upgrade technology and implement software programs and data collection methods to better track calls for service involving people with behavioral health needs and support the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.