Military

Cultural competency is vital in successfully implementing criminal justice and behavioral health programs. But even though many behavioral health and criminal justice practitioners understand that cultural competency is important, they often don't know what it means, what it entails, and/or how to achieve it.

Counties across the country have made progress addressing the Stepping Up Four Key Measures. Yet counties often struggle with Key Measure 3: post-release connections to care for people who have a serious mental illness (SMI). This measure necessarily involves a handoff from the county jail system to the community-based behavioral health system, with implications for data collection and treatment initiation.

Improving crisis response with strategies that divert those with behavioral health needs to appropriate care has become a primary area of focus for both county and city law enforcement. Innovative dispatch strategies include co-responder models with mental health clinicians, mobile crisis teams, Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training for law enforcement officers or a combination of all three.

CSG Justice Center staff held 131 contacts (via phone and email) with FY16-FY20 grantees in the month of May.

CSG Justice Center staff held 141 contacts (via phone and email) with FY16-FY20 grantees in the month of March.

CSG Justice Center staff held 165 contacts (via phone and email) with FY16-FY20 grantees in the month of June.

CSG Justice Center staff held 147 contacts (via phone and email) with FY16-FY20 grantees in the month of January.

CSG Justice Center staff held 116 contacts (via phone and email) with FY16-FY20 grantees in the month of February.

CSG Justice Center staff held 145 contacts (via phone and email) with FY16-FY20 grantees in the month of April.

CSG Justice Center staff held 192 contacts (via phone and email) with FY16-FY20 grantees in the month of June.