Logan County receives federal grant to address nonviolent offenders with mental illness

[October 21, 2009]  The Logan County Probation Department has received a one-year, $50,000 grant from the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance to create a plan for dealing with nonviolent offenders who have serious mental health conditions.

The probation department will lead the effort to link criminal justice departments with local health and social services. The ultimate aim is to ensure community safety and also see that chronically ill individuals receive appropriate levels of treatment and supervision.

The Logan County Mental Health Initiative will be a collaboration of the Logan County judges, sheriff, state’s attorney, public defender, police department and health department, along with local social services.

Tazwood Mental Health Center and Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities assisted in the application and will participate in the project. Tazwood provides a comprehensive spectrum of mental health and substance abuse treatment services, including services for criminal justice populations. TASC provides clinical assessment, case management and monitoring of nonviolent offenders who have substance use or mental health conditions.

The project has two primary goals: (1) identify barriers to providing appropriate mental health services to justice-involved individuals in Logan County; and (2) propose a strategic plan to remove these barriers and work collaboratively toward implementing the plan.

Community input is being sought throughout this process. Logan County residents are invited to visit www.co.logan.il.us/probation to participate in a survey and offer suggestions.

[Text from file received from Logan County Probation Department]