An essential first step for communities or states interested in addressing mental health issues as they relate to the criminal justice system is to bring prospective partners to the table, define the problem, and establish which individuals will shepherd the partnership.  After these issues have been resolved, however, numerous decisions remain before the partnership can be launched.  What will be the costs (both direct and in-kind) of operating this joint venture?  Where will these resources come from?  How will they be administered?  The following recommendations serve as a guide to agents of change struggling with these questions.

Recommendations:

a.

Identify the number of clients whom the prospective partners, under the current system, are serving in parallel systems and determine the nature of this overlap.

b.

Share resources among organizations to ensure an effective and efficient response.

c.

Shift savings generated by the new response - or a related initiative - to the partnering organization in need of additional resources.

d.

Identify one of the partnering organizations - or establish a new entity - to serve as the locus for grants, new appropriations, and other resources contributed to the partnership.