MN SF141

Establishes a grant program administered by the commissioner of human services to provide grants up to $2,000,000 to counties or groups of counties for developing and operating comprehensive behavioral health diversion centers serving individuals under arrest or subject to arrest with mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders.

Requires at least 50 percent of grant funds be awarded to counties in greater Minnesota with high poverty rates and limited mental health services, with initial awards due by March 1, 2016.

Mandates centers include 20 specific components including crisis assessment and stabilization, psychiatric services, detoxification, case management, housing assistance, employment support, and collaboration with mobile crisis intervention teams and local criminal justice systems.

Authorizes peace officers, courts, and prosecutors to refer eligible persons with mental illness or co-occurring disorders for whom probable cause exists to arrest for a misdemeanor to diversion centers, with no criminal charges upon satisfactory program completion based on evidence-based practices.

Appropriates $8,000,000 from the general fund for the 2016-2017 biennium and requires centers to track and report data on incarceration and recidivism rate reductions to the commissioner, who must report outcomes to legislative committees biennially beginning February 1, 2017.