Santa Cruz County Receives $1 Million Grant To Reduce Recidivism

The Sheriff''s Office was recently notified that it would receive almost $1 million from the California Corrections Standards Authority to reduce recidivism rates of adult mentally ill offenders in the justice system and incarcerated in the County Jail system. According to the article they will be working with the county's Health Services Agency, probation department and community-based organizations, staff will be designated to address this unique, low-risk population and provide comprehensive services to them so as to lessen the impact on the criminal justice system and the jails.

Suggestions:

1. This would be a good time for a Mental Health Court! California National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI )has been very active state wide to encourage people to have a Mental Health Court. This would make all the difference in this program and stop the recidivism. Santa Clara has had a Mental Health Court for a long time and it has been very successful.

2. At one time Alicia Najera put together a grant for a Mobile Unit, which the local law enforcement people and NAMI were supporting. This would be another positive approach to keep the mentally ill out of jail.

The local NAMI has been involved in the Crisis Intervention Training of law enforcement for several years and most of the Santa Cruz City Police Dept. has been trained and a few sheriffs. At one time Community Connection (via Mental Health Resource Center) was involved in training the police.

We would like to see some of the MHSA funds go toward keeping the mentally ill out of jail also. Our jail is a maximum security prison, and putting the mentally ill in with the real criminals is not a good thing.

- Judy Williams, President of NAMI of Santa Cruz County

Last Updated on 03/18/07 webmaster@namiscc.org

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