Thursday, December 26, 2024
12/26/2024
SUMMARY: The Law Enforcement and Behavioral Health Partnership STL CARES (Community Assessment and Referral for Enduring Stability) will enable early diversion of individuals with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and Co-Occurring Disorders (COD) at risk of arrest by using targeted outreach and trained co-response teams to connect individuals with SMI or COD experiencing homelessness to behavioral health treatment, housing and support services. POPULATION: The proposed project will serve individuals with SMI or COD encountered by law enforcement in the City of St. Louis, Missouri which covers nearly 62 square miles and a population of 311,404 residents, including over 17,700 veterans. Services will be provided to adults (18 years of age or older) who are identified as having an SMI or COD, including veterans. Special efforts will be made to reach and engage individuals who are experiencing homelessness. St. Louis residents are 46.8% Black or African American, 4% Hispanic/Latino, 3.3% Asian and 2.4% Two or More Races. Of the homeless individuals arrested that year, 84% were male, 57% were Black or African American and a majority (55%) were over the age of 35. INTERVENTIONS: The proposed project will build on a regional Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) infrastructure to provide a blended approach of location-based crisis stabilization, on-site behavioral health assistance and co-response by behavioral health personnel and police. The project will: (1) deliver training in trauma-informed response, Mental Health First Aid for Public Safety and Veterans CIT to a critical mass of law enforcement officers; (2) strengthen protocols and clarify coordination across law enforcement and behavioral health providers to engage individuals with SMI or COD in ongoing wraparound services, case management and recovery support; and (3) integrate project activities with the city’s housing and homelessness initiatives. GOALS: (1) Increase the capacity of law enforcement, behavioral health and social service partners to coordinate services and share data to provide wraparound support for individuals with SMI or COD. (2) Increase successful referrals from SLMPD encounters to engagement in behavioral health and wraparound services. (3) Decrease SLMPD arrests for possession of controlled substances and low-level charges that are behavioral health related. OBJECTIVES: Deliver mental health training to 30% of city law enforcement officers; Increase referrals to behavioral health programs by 10% over baseline; Successfully place a minimum of 25 chronically homeless households in permanent housing; Reduce arrests for identified drug charges and behavioral health encounters by 10% compared to baseline. CLIENTS SERVED: 800 referred to mental health or related services by law enforcement; 610 screened for mental health or related interventions by behavioral health staff; 400 referred to behavioral/mental/substance abuse health services; 230 provided case management and wraparound services; 200 engaged in behavioral health treatment 3 months after referral/diversion; 360 law enforcement staff trained in mental health and/or trauma-informed response. Unduplicated Numbers: 800 clients and 360 law enforcement personnel.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).