FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Ann Arnall, Lee County Human Services, 652-7920

LEE COUNTY RECEIVES NACO GRANT FOR JAIL DIVERSION PROJECT

FORT MYERS, Fla. (November 8, 2004) - Lee County has received a $5,000 grant from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for a project to divert people with mental illnesses from jail to treatment programs.

The Pre-Trial Outreach Project is intended to educate and train those in the justice system's Pre-Trial Services to proactively identify individuals with a mental illness coming into the court system and divert them to treatment programs.

Measurable goals of the Pre-Trial Outreach Project include:

• Demonstrate a minimum of two (2) diversions per month.
• Incorporate Pre-Trial Services representation into the Forensic Mental Health Advisory Council.
• Ongoing, informal training of Pre-Trial Services personnel (documented by liaison) related to mental health services and diversion concepts/opportunities.
• Completion of formal training for Pre-Trial Services personnel (minimum of 2 formal trainings over course of grant year) related to mental health services and diversion concepts/opportunities.
• In collaboration with the Forensic Mental Health Council, develop a long-range diversion plan, including plans for sustaining existing diversion efforts and expansion of diversion activities.

The Forensic Mental Health Advisory Council includes representatives from Lee County Human Services, Florida Department of Children and Families-Substance Abuse and Mental Health Office, Mental Health Court, Office of the Public Defender, the State Attorney Office, the Lee County Sheriff's Office, Lee County Jail's mental health/medical provider group, and the mental health consumer population.

Research indicates that prolonged incarceration and increased mental health symptoms are directly correlated; and in-patient care (jails, hospitals) is more costly than community-based treatment.

The county will be coordinating the effort in partnership with the Ruth Cooper Center.

The Lee County project was selected by NACo as one of the six funded in the country. NACo is the only national organization representing county governments in the United States. Its goals are to improve county government, act as a liaison with other levels of government, present the county position on national issues and advance public understanding of the role of counties.