Since 2019, the CJC-Behavioral Health subcommittee has engaged in numerous initiatives and participated in national networks. The Behavioral Health subcommittee also collaborates with the Dane County Department of Human Services and City of Madison on several projects.
Competency restoration, in the context of someone being deemed incompetent to stand trial, refers to the process of providing necessary interventions and treatment to restore the individual's mental capacity to understand the legal proceedings and assist in their defense. This typically involves psychiatric evaluation, therapy, and other interventions with the goal of enabling the individual to regain competency and actively participate in their own trial.
Familiar Faces refer to people who are frequent utilizers of multiple systems who are experiencing serious mental illness. As key partnerships and strategies are developed, Dane County will increase the efficacy of current programming, increase the communication between agencies, and increase the overall health of some of the most vulnerable residents.
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Peer support helps connect justice-involved people experiencing behavioral health challenges with trained peers with lived experience who can offer support in navigating the system. Peer support fosters mutual understanding, empathy, and practical assistance with the goal of promoting recovery and avoiding future criminal legal system involvement.
The SIM helps communities identify resources and gaps in services at each intercept and develop local strategic action plans. The SIM mapping process brings together leaders and different agencies and systems to work together to identify strategies to divert people with mental and substance use disorders away from the justice system into treatment.
Stepping Up is a national initiative to reduce the overincarceration of people with mental illness. It provides a data-driven framework that assists counties through training, resources, and support that are tailored to local needs.
Visit our Behavioral Health Resource Repository to learn more about national and local innovations in supporting justice-involved people with behavioral health conditions.
The Behavioral Health Resource Center (BHRC) is a voluntary person and family centered service designed to help all Dane County residents access behavioral health services in Dane County, regardless of insurance status, financial status, age, identity, ability or legal status. The BHRC assists Dane County residents from all ages, backgrounds and walks of life. BHRC services are consumer led and consumer driven, meaning that the individual and family is the expert regarding their needs. The BHRC is run by the Dane County Department of Human Services, and provides regular updates to the Behavioral Health subcommittee.
The Dane County Crisis Triage Center will divert individuals with behavioral health challenges from the criminal justice system and other restrictive settings. It will serve as an alternative to jail or emergency rooms, providing a range of recovery services and accessible pathways for individuals in a behavioral health-related crisis. The Crisis Triage Center initiative is run by the Department of Human Services, and they provide regular updates to the Behavioral Health subcommittee.
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A non-law enforcement crisis response refers to a systematic approach aimed at addressing behavioral health crises without the involvement of traditional police or law enforcement agencies. It emphasizes the use of alternative strategies, such as mental health professionals, social workers, and community resources, to de-escalate conflicts, provide support, and promote long-term solutions. The City of Madison implemented the Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) in 2020, and CARES remains an initiative of the City of Madison.
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