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Mental health jail diversion program launches in Tri-Cities

Tri-City Herald (Kennewick, WA) - 3/4/2015

March 04--A new mental health jail diversion program launches today in the Tri-Cities, and it's being hailed by local officials as an important and progressive step for the community.

The program provides another option for law enforcement officers in dealing with low-level, non-violent offenders with symptoms of mental illness.

Instead of taking them to jail, officers can take them to Transitions, the mental health crisis triage facility at Lourdes Counseling Center in Richland.

"There are occasions when it's better to take a person who's committed a non-felony, non-serious crime to Transitions for evaluation and treatment rather than taking that person to jail," said Barbara Mead, vice president of behavioral health and physician clinics for Lourdes Health Network.

Most people with mental illness don't commit crimes. But "for people with chronic, persistent mental illness, when their symptoms are flared up their judgment can be negatively impacted," Mead told the Herald. She said they may do things that they normally wouldn't do, like shoplifting or trespassing.

"They end up in jail, which is not a place for treatment. Our goal is to engage those patients into treatment," she said. "They can continue treatment and get back to a better functioning state."

Benton County Prosecutor Andy Miller said the program doesn't amount to a get-out-of-jail-free card. If the person completes treatment, then there's no arrest or court record. If not, criminal charges can follow.

The program is among the only ones of its kind in the state. Mental health jail diversion is allowed under state law, but it hasn't been used locally for lack of a facility.

That changed when the 16-bed Transitions opened last summer. And officials have been working for months on a memorandum of understanding.

"I think it goes to the progressive nature of our local law enforcement agencies," Miller said. "This is going to enhance public safety in a much more just way."

Dana Oatis, director of outpatient services for Lourdes Counseling Center, noted the jail diversion program isn't something officers are required to use. "It's intended to give them options in the field," she said.

It's only available in cases of non-felony crimes that are deemed non-serious. That means shoplifting could qualify, for example, while domestic violence, DUI or any non-felony with sexual motivation could not.

Officers also aren't to refer people with most extraditable outstanding warrants, who are documented gang members, who are under current Department of Corrections supervision or who have past Class A felony or certain other convictions.

And those who are drunk or high won't qualify.

Officers throughout the Tri-City area have been trained in the new program.

The Pasco, Kennewick, Richland, West Richland, Prosser and Connell police chiefs all signed onto a memorandum of understanding, along with the Benton and Franklin county sheriffs and both of the counties' prosecutors.

Mead also signed off on it. The bicounty Crisis Response Unit isn't a signatory to the pact but helped as the program was being developed, Mead told the Herald.

Richland police Capt. Jeff Taylor, who helped with the agreement, said the program is invaluable in providing an alternative.

"A lot of times when we come across somebody who's obviously in a mental health crisis, we don't have a lot of options other than to take them to jail or kick them loose," he said. "It's great to have this option to get these folks the professional help they need to stop this cycle."

Kennewick Police Chief Ken Hohenberg added that, "from my perspective, this is not only going to be able to help keep people out of the criminal justice system that truly don't belong there, but also provide some hope for their families and friends. ...We see this as the right thing to do."

Another program aimed at better dealing with people with mental illness also is in the works locally. In Benton County, a mental health court is being developed. It will be paid for using money from the 0.3 percent public safety sales tax approved by voters in the county last year.

The program will be in District Court. Officials have said it could debut next year.

Sara Schilling: 509-582-1529; sschilling@tricityherald.com; Twitter: @SaraTCHerald

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