BJA FY 19 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program | BJA 2019 15099

Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2019 15099

The BJA FY 19 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), designed to help communities build stronger, coordinated responses for people with mental illnesses (MI) and people with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders (CMISA) who come into contact with the justice system. At its core, the program is about improving both public safety and individual outcomes by getting law enforcement, courts, corrections, and treatment and social service providers working together instead of operating in separate silos. The intent is to reduce the likelihood of repeated justice involvement, improve crisis response, and connect individuals to appropriate care and supports, while also supporting officer safety and broader violence reduction strategies through better partnerships and more effective intervention pathways.

JMHCP funding emphasizes cross-system collaboration, meaning applicants are expected to plan and implement approaches that involve multiple stakeholders such as police departments, sheriff offices, prosecutors and defenders, courts, jails, probation, community mental health providers, substance use treatment programs, hospitals, crisis centers, housing and supportive services, and other local partners. The program supports strategies that enhance law enforcement responses when encountering people experiencing mental health crises or co-occurring conditions, including coordinated protocols, training, shared response models, and referral or diversion options that can keep people out of jail when appropriate and connect them to treatment and stabilization services. The overall goal is to strengthen the local system so encounters involving MI or CMISA are handled more safely, consistently, and effectively, with fewer escalations and better long-term outcomes.

This opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number BJA-2019-15099) was offered as a grant funding instrument under CFDA 16.745 and falls under several broad activity categories including law and justice, health, employment/labor and training, and related public service areas. The funding was intended for governmental entities and certain other eligible applicants, including county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments, with additional eligibility details referenced in the solicitation materials. BJA created the opportunity on April 23, 2019, and the original application closing date was June 25, 2019. The maximum award amount listed was $750,000, and BJA anticipated making approximately 55 awards, indicating an effort to support a sizeable number of jurisdictions in strengthening or expanding justice-mental health partnerships.

In practical terms, a strong JMHCP project typically centers on improving how a community identifies, engages, and supports people with MI or CMISA at key “intercept” points such as initial law enforcement contact, booking and jail intake, pretrial decision-making, court involvement, reentry planning, and community supervision. While the solicitation text here does not list specific allowable activities, the program’s stated purpose points toward investments in collaborative planning and implementation, partnership-building, and operational improvements that make responses more coordinated and less fragmented. This can include formalizing interagency agreements, establishing shared protocols for crisis response and referrals, improving information-sharing practices within legal limits, and building pathways that prioritize treatment access, stabilization, and continuity of care rather than defaulting to arrest or incarceration when alternatives are appropriate. The program’s focus on officer and public safety also highlights the value of approaches that reduce the risk of volatile encounters by equipping responders with better tools, better coordination, and better access to clinical and community resources.

Overall, the BJA FY 19 JMHCP grant opportunity is aimed at helping local and tribal governments strengthen the connection between the justice system and behavioral health systems, so communities can respond more effectively to individuals with MI or CMISA. The expected results are safer interactions for officers and the public, fewer unnecessary jail bookings, improved access to treatment and supportive services, and better long-term outcomes that can reduce repeat justice involvement and contribute to violence reduction through smarter, more collaborative interventions.

• The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the employment, labor and training, health, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 19 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.745.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 23, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 25, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $750,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 55 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for BJA 2019 15099

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