The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare invests in programs to help reduce the incidence of initial involvement or recidivism in the criminal justice system. DPW actively engages in collaborative efforts with county governments, human service agencies, and the court system to alleviate many of the root causes of delinquency and aid in the rehabilitation process.

Mental Health Courts – Decreasing Incarceration and Addressing Individual Needs

Mental health courts divert defendants with mental illnesses into judicially supervised, community-based treatment programs, following specialized screening and assessment. These courts offer participants of non-violent crimes an opportunity to avoid incarceration if they agree to comply with community supervision and mandated treatment.

In partnership with Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), grants have been provided to develop mental health courts in Chester, Delaware, Franklin, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Luzerne, Montgomery, Philadelphia and Washington counties.

In fiscal 2009-10, 44 individuals successfully completed/graduated, 153 individuals are currently in process of participating and 39,786 incarceration days for non-violent offenders have been avoided, saving $5 million in costs to the prison system.

DPW and PCCD are also partnering in the creation of a Center of Excellence for the Development and Improvement of Programs Serving Adults with Mental Illness Involved in the Criminal Justice System (CoE). This initiative promotes the use of evidence-based and promising practices by providing technical assistance in support of the start up and operation of jail diversion and re-entry programs and acts as a clearinghouse for information and resources related to criminal justice, mental health, and substance abuse.

DPW Partners with Juvenile Justice

DPW is actively working with PCCD, county juvenile probation offices, and the courts to implement strategies that share the dual goals of protecting the safety of our communities while at the same time identifying and meeting the needs of our youths in the delinquency system to prevent their further involvement in criminal justice. Examples include:

• Mental health and substance abuse screening is more readily available at key transition points in the juvenile justice system. Currently, 25 county probation offices are screening youth at intake. Additionally, all of the state operated Youth Development Centers/Youth Forestry Camps (YDC/YFC) as well as many of the county detention centers screen youth upon entry into their facilities.
   
• Through a joint OMHSAS and Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) Redirection Project, 46 cases since 2006 have been reviewed with various county agencies resulting in a number of youth being placed in less restrictive or more appropriate settings.
   
• Through an initiative lead by the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, 15 county probation offices either have or are now beginning to use the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory, a validated assessment instrument, as a way of improving their decision-making regarding intensity of services for youth.

DPW Focus on Reducing Juvenile Recidivism

DPW offers special grants to counties, through the child welfare budget, to provide aftercare or re-entry services to youth leaving a state-operated detention facility. This program provides a continuum of case management services to youths and their families upon the youth’s entry into the facility, and follows them through their return to the community. The six-month rates for youths not returning to the juvenile justice system improved from 75% in FY 2005-2006 to 87% in FY 2008 – 2009.

The mission of the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) is to protect and serve Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable citizens, to promote, improve and sustain the quality of family life, and to break the cycle of dependency, while managing our resources effectively and promoting respect for employees. The focus of DPW’s Budget is sustainability—preserving services for those who need them, quality and results—ensuring services improve the lives of those who receive them, and accountability— ensuring efficient use of tax dollars. For more information about the DPW budget visit www.dpw.state.pa.us.