SB 1162 Summary

• Creates the Office of Social Work and Police Partnerships within the Department of Health and Human Services to develop community mental health and law enforcement partnerships in high-crime areas.

• Establishes a competitive grant program providing up to $2,000,000 annually per local unit of government to fund social workers, licensed professional counselors, or psychologists to partner with law enforcement agencies and respond to mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness-related calls.

• Requires grants to be matched dollar-for-dollar by local governments and mandates comprehensive annual reporting on call responses, arrests, recidivism rates, and program outcomes.

• Creates a 15-member advisory council with representation from social workers, formerly incarcerated individuals, law enforcement, crime victims, prosecutors, and defense attorneys to recommend target communities for grant funding.

• Establishes a dedicated Social Work and Police Partnerships Fund within the state treasury to finance grants and administrative operations of the office and council.