Countywide, those that have the power to mitigate a growing mental health crisis agree: It can’t be done within the criminal justice system.
The jail is not only unsuited to provide mental health care, but the sheriff’s office is in the midst of a full-blown staffing crisis, despite investments in pay and recruitment. said she supports the plan because “as this population keeps growing, it’s very difficult for [staff] to take care of the amount of people with mental health designations.
Though the details of design will be worked out in this 100-day challenge period, Brown likes Nashville’s model, where people complete a stabilization period of 14-30 days in a diversion center and their charges are expunged at the end. He says diversion could also help people already in jail and awaiting competency restoration needed to stand trial or get a plea agreement. Some have been waiting in the jail for two years due to an egregiously long state hospital backlog.