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<br />Cass County Jail Intervention Coordinating Committee
<br />Major Glenn E/lingsberg, Chairman
<br />Alternative Sentencing & Pretrial Issues Subcommittee:
<br />Commissioner Vern Bennett, Cass County
<br />Candace Fuglesten, SE Human Service Center
<br />Dr. Thomas McDonald, NDSU
<br />Dan Seymour, ND Parole & Probation
<br />Sheree Spear, NAMJ ND
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<br />Proposed Diversion Program i~~~~s County
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<br />For Persons with Severe Men!alfIllJe,~"s:.Phase I
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<br />The establishment of jail diversion programs withi,n"comll1unities has D<;s:qme more
<br />common over the last 30 years, The primary puilfose of these programs i1r:~mrovide
<br />appropriate community-based treatment for pt~~l~}~ith m~~~l illness and ~6,,'6ccurring
<br />substance abuse problems that prevent or minimize'1\J;iQ9~J"of incarceration:'"
<br />The key to success is creating an integrated syste~;jfj. are, without which the
<br />diversion will not lead to improved'f~utcomes.
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<br />The Council of State Governments (CSG~, whicliJ'~g~ Dakota is a member of,
<br />published the Criminal Justice/Mental He~lth Co\'fs'efi'~'l1s,Broiect report in June 2002.
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<br />The report contains 46 J1~H:S>>l~~tements, pr~gfam exan;j:>les, and detailed descriptions
<br />for implementation. /]ilis do'cument reflects c'ountless hours of counsel from over 100 of
<br />the most respected.'tfil1inal ju;ti'~e and mentai\health practitioners and policymakers in
<br />'W';lXo/*U>. ~_~c \:W~4'".
<br />the United States, and isTpl'wreSl:\g~pcted. It states:'''Leglslators, policymakers,
<br />practitioner~,,~~~;,,?,~er aie~~fn:li~~$~Jpfiampion and implement the detailed
<br />recomm~lJdatiohs'ii)~t\1i~ repdrtl~1Jowing tnat each has been developed and approved by
<br />expe1J~Jiom an extrI6~~iF.(lrily"~~~.;pnge of perspectives who work in and administer
<br />the dep'~itInents, agenciestfapd orgll9izations trying every day to address the needs of
<br />people Ji't~1w;ntal illnes~~N~the criminal justice system," The Steering Committee for
<br />this project in~l~des the fOllgwing project partners:
<br />. Jl!'~~iatioI}{ofState Correctional Administrators (ASCA)
<br />. Baielton.@€nter for Mental Health Law
<br />. The C~fif~r for Behavioral Health, Justice, and Public Policy
<br />. Natid~~l Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
<br />(NASMHPD)
<br />. Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)
<br />. Pretrial Services Resource Center (PSRC)
<br />
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<br />If one chooses to read only one manual on implementing effective diversion programs, it
<br />should be the Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus Proiect report, coordinated by_
<br />the Council of State Governments. Recommendations range from: contact with law
<br />enforcement, pretrial issues, training practitioners and policymakers, elements of an
<br />effective mental health system, to measuring and evaluating outcomes. Consistent with
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<br />Jail Intervention Coordinating Committee
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