Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Used For Jail Based Competency
Many individuals in jails experience serious mental illness or addictions that contribute to criminal justice involvement.
When competency to stand trial is in question, long waitlists for state hospital beds delay justice, increase jail overcrowding, and worsen mental health outcomes. Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) offer a solution by providing coordinated, evidence-based behavioral health services that bridge the gap between correctional facilities and community care.
THE SOLUTION
The Expanding Capability through the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Act enables CCBHCs to partner directly with local jails to provide jail-based and outpatient competency restoration programs to provide:
Pre-release services, including screenings and assessments before release to identify treatment needs and create individualized care plans.
Continuity of care to ensure seamless transitions from jail to community-based treatment through warm hand-offs, follow-up appointments, and coordinated referrals.
Community partnerships with sheriffs, jail administrators, and courts to support safe and stable re-entry.
Benefit enrollment that help individuals re-enroll in Medicaid or other benefits to maintain consistent access to treatment.
Relapse prevention through sustaining medication-assisted treatment and behavioral support reduces overdose, suicide, and recidivism risk upon re-entry.
Outpatient restoration by delivering community-based services when inpatient beds are limited, helping restore competency faster and at lower cost.
WHY IT MATTERS
CCBHC partnerships with jails:
These programs lower costs to the state, ease pressure on forensic hospital systems, and improve public safety by ensuring treatment—not jail—is the front line of response for behavioral health crises.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
By expanding CCBHC capacity to include jail-based competency and re-entry services, states can strengthen behavioral health infrastructure, reduce recidivism, and ensure continuity of care for those with mental illness or addiction. This approach delivers faster restoration, safer communities, and better long-term outcomes.
Stay Informed
Sign up to receive updates about our fight for policies at the state level that restore liberty through transparency and accountability in American governance.