Jail Diversion Programs for the Mentally Ill Saves Money and Improves Care

Joseph Coletti’s latest John Locke Foundation Spotlight paper on jail diversion programs in thirty seconds:
Sheriffs could provide some impetus for county governments to take a more active role in rebuilding the state’s mental health safety net. If done right, jail diversion programs can improve public and officer safety, provide care for those with chronic mental illness, and save taxpayers money. Doing it right depends on a strong system of community-based care, which means more county involvement and less reliance on Medicaid. Intervening earlier saves more money and has greater potential to help the person with an illness.

Carolina Journal provides a summary here. The report itself is here.