Lancaster County, Nebraska Mental Health Diversion

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 Lancaster County Attorney’s Office and CenterPointe Behavioral Health Agency will partner to develop and implement pretrial mental health diversion for justice involved youth; validated assessment tools to target justice involved youth with a moderate or high risk of recidivism and need for treatment services; treatment interventions validated through empirical evidence to reduce recidivism; and effective strategies by law enforcement to identify and reduce risk of harm for youth with mental illnesses. This project will allow youth with MI or CMISA to receive effective treatment interventions while still receiving supervision and diversion out of the formal system. CA/NCF