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| Daytona Beach News-Journal |
| By Daytona Beach News-Journal |
| Published: 03/05/2003 |
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A 30-year-old man with bipolar disorder is arrested outside a Daytona Beach convenience store for trespassing and shouting at customers. Three days later, he stands in front of the same store causing similar disturbances and finds himself back in jail. A new jail diversion initiative will give the mentally ill who are arrested for minor crimes such as loitering or disorderly conduct a chance to avoid jail in exchange for supervision. The program by Act Corp. that begins Monday in conjunction with area judges, public defenders, prosecutors and corrections officials could break that cycle for those with mental illnesses and help get them back on their medication, court and Act officials said. Supervision from Act, a community mental health center that serves Volusia and Flagler counties, can come in many forms, from monitoring by a caseworker to placement in a residential treatment facility. But if a person in the program violates his course of treatment or commits another crime, he goes back to jail. 'It's not a get out of jail free card,' said Chief Judge Robert K. Rouse Jr., who has been working with Act and sent a letter to his judges Wednesday about the program. 'We're not trying to be soft on criminals. We want to cut down on them returning time and time again. We just think they can get a lot more help outside of the jail than inside the jail.' Julie Eberwein, vice president of adult justice services for Act, said the agency will have seven workers in the program, which is being funded this year by $150,000 from the Department of Children and Families. Eberwein said Act officials hope DCF will continue funding next year and that Act will also seek grants. The idea, she said, is to help people so they don't have to face the symptoms of mental illness by themselves. 'It's going to help solve the overcrowding problem in the jails and people will get the treatment they need,' said Wayne Dreggors, Act president and CEO. The program is also intended to get treatment to the many homeless people in Volusia County who have mental illnesses. Candidates for the program must have a diagnosed mental illness and the mental illness had to be a contributing factor for the crime. They also must have been involved in a misdemeanor or a nonviolent third-degree felony. When a person is arrested, he will be evaluated by Volusia County Department of Corrections officials at the county jail and referred to Act. An Act worker will determine if the person qualifies for the program and assist the court at the first appearance hearing. The State Attorney's Office also will make a recommendation to the judge, who ultimately decides whether to turn the person over to Act instead of jail. Act may assign a caseworker or refer the person to another agency such as Serenity House. After 21 days under the care of Act or another community-based agency, the State Attorney's Office may decide to drop the charges depending on the person's progress. But monitoring by Act will continue. 'They can't help themselves unless they get treatment. Jail doesn't solve the problem,' Assistant State Attorney David R. Smith said of people who will be served by the program. Smith said the program benefits not only the person with a mental illness, but taxpayers. It generally costs about $44 a day to house someone in the county jail. According to Act officials, about 6 percent of the adult population has some form of mental illness. Of those, less than 15 percent receive treatment. Also, at least 16 percent of all state prison and jail inmates have a mental illness. |
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