ALPENA, Mich. — Partners in Prevention has received a $60,000 grant from the GAINS Center to conduct a Sequential Intercept Mapping Workshop that will examine how Alpena County’s criminal justice and behavioral health systems interact.
The two-day workshop, scheduled for May 28-29, will bring together representatives from law enforcement, mental health providers, courts, emergency services and other community organizations to create a comprehensive map of how people with behavioral health needs move through the local criminal justice system.
Sequential Intercept Mapping workshops produce visual maps that illustrate contact points between individuals with behavioral health conditions and the criminal justice system. The maps help communities identify gaps in services and develop strategic plans to improve coordination between agencies.
More than 20 organizations will participate in the workshop, including the Alpena County Sheriff’s Department, Michigan State Police, City of Alpena Police and Fire departments, Alpena County EMS, 911 and Emergency Management departments. Mental health and healthcare providers participating include Northeast Michigan Community Mental Health, Alcona Health Center, MyMichigan Health Center, Thunder Bay Community Health Services and NAMI.
The workshop will also include representatives from the court system, including the Alpena County Prosecutor, Alpena County Probation Department, 26th Judicial Circuit Court, the Public Defender’s Office and local defense attorneys. Municipal leaders including the mayor, county administrator and city manager will also attend.
The GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and operated by Policy Research Associates Inc., provides these workshops to jurisdictions seeking to better serve individuals with behavioral health needs who are involved in the criminal justice system.
The center has gained international recognition for its work addressing the intersection of behavioral health and criminal justice. Each year, the GAINS Center reviews applications from jurisdictions interested in improving their response to individuals with behavioral health conditions who are at risk of criminal justice involvement.
The mapping workshop represents the latest effort by Partners in Prevention to strengthen mental health resources in the region. The organization has previously brought Crisis Intervention Training and Mental Health Awareness Training to the area.
Partners in Prevention provides training, facilitation and support services designed to promote individual and community resilience in Alpena. The organization focuses on helping communities raise children who are safe and resilient while helping adults develop skills to address life challenges.
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