It's to stem the revolving door of the mental ill from going in and out and in and out of jail. We need to treat mental illness as a health issue rather than a criminal matter. Criminal suspects identified as potential candidates for the program will be screened during the booking process to determine if they are mentally ill. Then, in exchange for a guilty plea to their offense, the offender will be evaluated, released from jail and assigned to an intensive supervised treatment program expected to last six to 12 months. The goal of the program is to reduce the jail bed time and get them into outside programs.
Treatment is more expensive then incarceration.
For the next three years, the county will monitor participants, then will report back to state officials on their progress.