Fort Bend County Community Collaborative Program for Justice-Involved and At-Risk Youth with MI or CMISA (FOCUS Youth) Program

The Juvenile Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JJMHCP) supports cross-system collaboration to improve responses and outcomes for youth with mental illness (MI) or co-occurring MI and substance abuse (CMISA) who come into contact with the juvenile justice system. This program supports public safety efforts through partnerships with juvenile justice, mental health and substance abuse agencies to enhance responses to justice-involved youth with MI and CMISA.

The goal of the FOCUS Youth Program is to increase public safety in Fort Bend County (FBC) by improving responses to and outcomes for justice involved and at-risk youth with MI/CMISA. The objective of the proposed FOCUS Youth Program is to develop and implement a cross-system collaborative approach involving law enforcement, court, and behavioral health (mental health and substance use treatment) agencies and personnel to improve responses and outcomes for justice-involved and at-risk youth with MI or CMISA. This cross-system approach will accomplish the work required to realize the following three deliverables: (1) provide systematic and appropriate training across FBC to law enforcement and court personnel on comprehensive behavioral health, crisis intervention, and trauma-informed strategies; (2) improve processes for screening and assessment of youth in the community and the justice system, and referral of youth with MI or CMISA to appropriate community behavioral health services and/or diversion programs; and (3) enhance targeted services for justice-involved and at-risk youth with MI or CMISA provided by community behavioral health treatment providers and diversion programs.
CA/NCF