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NARRATIVE The process of affecting a law change in 2003 required the ability on my part to: research the topic from a broad perspective, strategize, craft testimony that was compelling and educational, obtain nationally-recognized legal technical support, identify and gain support from key individuals-both outside of the legislature and within, and to secure and coordinate oral testimony from others that supported the bill. This demonstrated experience shows my ability to successfully coordinate and move an initiative forward. The experience of working with legislators and agencies would also be beneficial to the grant managcr role for Cass County, should I be selected. The Mentally III Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act, sponsored by Senator DeWine and Rep. Strickland of Ohio, began working its way through Congress six or seven years ago. I, along with thousands of others, tracked the progress of this bill which ultimately passed and provided the funds for the Dept. of Justice Mental Health Collaborative Grant, which Cass County received. Through research, I learned what criteria would need to be met and recommendations for achieving those, should the bill pass and funds be made available to states. I met with the Attorney General in 2003 and explained that we should begin a project soon within North Dakota that would demonstrate collaboration between the criminal justice systems and human services. It was my goal to ensure that North Dakota, or a locality within, would be well-positioned to capture some of those dollars should the Act pass. It is because ofthis goal, and the desire to ensure that those with mental illness are directed to treatment and services, that I introduced the Council of State Government's Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus Project recommendations for implementation to Chief Deputy Ellingsberg. It fit with his vision and efforts he already had underway. Our discussions led to the formation of the Jail Intervention Coordinating Committee for Cass County. The group, and subsequently our grant proposal, demonstrated the collaborative spirit and knowledge of diversion strategies required of grant recipients. As the volunteer project coordinator for the past three years for Cass County's JlCC, I brought information about best practices and evidence-based practices to the group for examination. I contacted individuals in other states who are implementing effective, nationally-recognized programs, and brought that information back to the JlCc. Examples of such include: documentation and insight from diversion programs in King County, Seattle W A; Hamilton County, OH; and Broward County, FL; and Memphis, TN. Additionally, I brought to the JICC published materials on diversion approaches obtained through the national TAPA Center for Jail Diversion, GAINS Center for Co- occurring Disorders, and Policy Research Associates. Information included examination of the pros and cons of establishing an official mental health court versus a non-specialty court alternative, and research papers which compared the effectiveness of various police-based diversion programs. 4