Ga. police receive mental health grant

The primary goal is to help individuals with mental illness and co-occurring substance issues by giving them the opportunity to receive mental health treatment rather than going to jail

By Amy Scott
The Red & Black

CLARKE COUNTY, Ga. — The Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Clarke County Sheriff's Office, Advantage Behavioral Health and University of Georgia’s Fanning Institute have joined together to found a new mental health initiative in an effort to reexamine how mental health issues are treated both policy and community wide.

Mental Health policies will be closely examined under the new project and ACCPD hopes to encourage community support for those suffering from mental illness while also implementing more effective mental health services in the community.

Evan Mills, the director of business for Advantage Behavioral Health said the heart of The Mental Health Collaboration to lies in increased coordination between law enforcement and mental health providers.