JAIL DIVERSION: HOW?
By Kermit F. Klaerner
An effective community jail diversion system requires, at a minimum, the cooperation of the following entities and individuals: people with mental illnesses (including individuals who have been involved with the criminal justice system), prosecutors, public defenders, judges, elected officials (city, county, state, etc.), local law enforcement personnel, correctional facility staff, mental health service providers and advocates, probation officers, substance abuse service providers, emergency room personnel, and housing providers.
Concho Valley’s (San Angelo, Texas) jail diversion program which received the 2002 County Best Practice Award began with the “development of a purposeful partnership.” This community partnership created a Mental Health Deputy Unit (MHDU) and local Crisis Stabilization Services (CSS). The MHDU is composed of three paid deputies and “responds to all calls in which a person is displaying the symptoms of untreated mental illness.” CSS are provided through a contract with three local private, inpatient hospitals in addition to the State mental health serving the area.
Diversion in this program occurs during pre-booking. Instead of being transferred to an incarceration unit, the individuals are transferred to an appropriate treatment facility. In calendar year 2003, approximately 846 citizens came in contact with MHDU. Of this number, 372 were diverted from incarceration in jail, with 175 being stabilized in CSS.
This program has resulted in the decriminalization of persons with mental illnesses, improved service delivery to these individuals, decreased emergency room time for law enforcement personnel, had a positive impact on the reduction of the inpatient recidivism rate because of a continuity from “crisis to care,” and has enhanced medication adherence—and it has saved lives. During 1996-1998, “Tom Green County led the State in the number of per capita deaths associated with suicide.” After the implementation of the jail diversion program, the suicide rate was reduced.
In addition, the program has improved officer safety, liability, and employment retention. It has also reduced community costs by reducing transportation costs to State hospitals, lowered court costs ($1200 per case), saved $200 per day per person jail costs by not having offenders incarcerated, and reduced the county’s worker’s compensation cost.
This model “directly addresses the #1 public safety issue in Texas, that of untreated mental illness.”
Other exemplary jail diversion programs have been developed in Harris County (Houston, Texas) and Bexar County (San Antonio, Texas). Each jail diversion program is designed to meet the unique needs of the community it serves, and all programs use existing resources to the fullest extent.
What can Abilene and Taylor County do to help person with mental illnesses when they come into contact with the law? Answer: Implement a jail diversion program. This will be a “win-win” situation for all who are involved.
The first step has been taken by The Betty Hardwick Center for the development of a local program. A Jail Diversion Task Force has been developed and recently met to address the problem. Attendees included employees from The Betty Hardwick Center, the Abilene Psychiatric Center, the juvenile justice center, judges, city and county law enforcement personnel, probation officers, and other interested parties, including yours truly.
Perhaps this Task Force will bring about the decriminalization of mental illnesses and help remove some of the stigma that persons with mental illnesses face constantly.
Kermit F. Klaerner is the executive director of the Mental Health Association in Abilene. Mental Health Matters is sponsored by the Mental Health Association, phone (325) 673-2300, e-mail mhaa@bitstreet.com. Need help? Call the Hope Line (325) 673-2300.