Justice Initiatives

OCHN provides psychiatry services at the Oakland County Jail for individuals in need of behavioral health interventions. Psychiatric services are available for all individuals who meet criteria while in the custody of the Oakland County Jail. The OCHN Criminal Justice Resource Coordinator working in the jail can help facilitate requests for psychiatry and may be reached at 248-232-6574.

Pre-Booking Jail Diversion services offer persons diagnosed with a developmental disability, mental illness, or substance use disorder the opportunity to receive treatment within the community instead being charged with a criminal offense for a non-violent misdemeanor. Jail Diversion is accomplished through a comprehensive, county-wide partnership between law enforcement, the public mental health system, advocates, and other stakeholders. Jail diversion inquires can be sent to OCHN Jail Diversion Coordinator, Dan Holloway at hollowayd@oaklandchn.org. 

OCHN's Juvenile Screening and Referral Specialist assist with the early identification of mental health needs in at-risk youth. This position works directly with youth and families by administering age-appropriate screening tools and connects the individual with resources based on the results.

OCHN's Community Liaison provides eligibility screenings, crisis intervention services, case consultation, and system navigation to the youths, families, and community partners.

AOT helps provide protection and care for individuals who have mental illnesses and may be impaired in their judgment about the need for treatment. View Kevin's Law flyer (PDF).

OCHN and the Oakland County Jail have partnered to provide a Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program to address the high rate of overdose upon release from incarceration. MAT combines individualized treatment planning, recovery coaches, and therapeutic services to address a person's opiate use disorder.

The Sequential Intercept Model, developed by the Gains Center, is a model used by OCHN to identify where gaps in mental health service exist along the criminal justice continuum. OCHN is consistently working to fill the gaps with grants or collaborative agreements with community partners.

The Oakland County Board of Commissioners (BOC) partnered OCHN and local members of the criminal justice system in support of the nationally recognized Stepping Up Initiative as stated in an approved resolution. Stepping Up is an unprecedented national collaboration designed to reduce the number of people with a mental illness in jail through appropriate treatment and prevention services. View the Step Up Together National Website.