DATE: March 12, 2008
CONTACT: Marlene Wilson, Director
Broward County Human Services Department
PHONE: 954-357-6383
Broward County has been awarded $991,369 over three years for a Criminal Justice, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grant by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF).
The State Legislature, through HB 1477, made available $3.8 million in funding to counties for the purpose of creating state, local and private partnerships to address the treatment of individuals with substance abuse and mental illness who are in a county jail, or at risk of entering the criminal justice system.
The grant will fund the "Freedom House" project which will divert individuals with mental health and substance abuse disorders prior to arrest and booking to a six bed "Safe House" run by a consumer organization, staffed by both Peer Specialists who are in recovery from mental illness and/or substance abuse, as well as health professionals who will provide substance abuse and mental health services, housing and educational/vocational training.
Commissioner Ken Keechl, District 4, and Vice Chair of the Broward County Public Safety Coordinating Council, noted the importance of Freedom House and the ability to receive grants such as these. "Persons brought to Freedom House may stay for 24 to 48 hours to be assessed, receive treatment services, as well as housing, counseling and other services that may be needed. The Freedom House project will cost $369 per day per episode. But if we consider the cost of incarceration of the same people, Broward County will save over $1 million annually. We are hoping that this project can be replicated or expanded, saving additional monies. In addition to lowering expenses related to people with mental illness in the criminal justice system, these persons will also receive the quality services citizens in Broward County want and deserve, and opportunities to access permanent housing," Commissioner Keechl said.
The project also includes $360,272 from in-kind contributions, and $631,097 in matching funds from the County over the three years.
Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin, District 8, created Broward County's Mental Health Task Force. "A big thank you goes out to the State for this grant. There have been 279 Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) law enforcement officers trained countywide to identify persons who have behavioral disorders which have resulted in minor, victimless, non-violent crime. These persons with mental illness may have had little or no access to mental health services or have run out of money for their medications. There has been no place for officers to take these persons who may not be a danger to self or others and really can be diverted from the criminal justice system or from being involuntarily committed in a Baker Act Receiving Facility. Freedom House will create such a facility," Commissioner Wasserman-Rubin said.
This program will be a complement to and a resource for Broward Sheriff's Office and police agencies who currently participate on the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT). Collaborative partners in this proposal are: PEER Center and Broward Health, who will share staffing of the facility. Non-funded collaborative partners providing in-kind services include Henderson Mental Health Center, which will provide a mobile crisis unit and inpatient crisis stabilization; Broward Addiction Recovery Centers (BARC), which will provide specialized treatment services for co-occurring disorders; and the County's "HHOPE" chronic homeless collaborative, which will provide permanent supportive housing placement for eligible consumers.
Commenting on the award, Judge Mark A. Speiser added, "The Broward Court System is a nationally recognized leader in pioneering problem-solving courts and unique judicial responses to the tremendous onslaught of individuals with mental illness entangled in the web of the criminal justice system."
Florida Department of Children & Families Secretary, Bob Butterworth, added, "I commend Broward County for taking the lead on such an important community collaborative; one that focuses on prevention and early intervention by making treatment options available to a greatly under-served population."
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