In early September, the Department of State Hospitals (DSH) released a Departmental Letter that provides guidance on how counties can receive annual funds to support coordinating and facilitating collaborative County Stakeholder Workgroups that target strategies and seek solutions to reduce the criminalization of individuals with serious mental illnesses in their communities and reduce the number of individuals who are determined to be incompetent to stand trial (IST) on felony charges.
Counties are encouraged to take advantage of the $100,000 annual funding to support local stakeholders and collaborative efforts.
All counties are eligible to receive annual funding for participating in the collaborative community stakeholder workgroup program. DSH has extended the deadline to participate in the program. Counties must submit a completed Letter of Intent to DSHDiversion@dsh.ca.gov by COB December 31, 2023, to enter into a contract effective July 1, 2024.
Counties that currently have community collaborative workgroup contracts or are in the process of having a community collaborative workgroup contract with DSH, and counties that have already submitted an LOI do not need to reapply. See the DSH Departmental Letter for more details. For additional information, contact RCRC Policy Advocate, Sarah Dukett.