Introduction

The Rockingham-Harrisonburg Justice and Mental Health Collaboration (RHJMHC) is a multijurisdictional law enforcement and mental health program supported the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). The program aims to provide services for citizens in crisis and increase overall community safety. The JMHC program expands Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) for area law enforcement officers and other emergency services personnel and increases local Crisis Response Team (CRT) capacity for first responder support, risk and crisis assessment, emergency case management, and client follow-up. It also creates a new coordinated care model for a specialized caseload of high-risk/high-need female offenders with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders. The RHJMHC program is a partnership between the Rockingham County Court Services Unit (RCCSU), Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO), and the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board (HRCSB).