About Us
Center History
In 2007, the Florida Legislature authorized and funded the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grant Program and designated the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), as a site for the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Technical Assistance Center (CJMHSA TAC) (s.394.657, F.S.). FMHI is a research and training center within the University of South Florida's College of Behavioral & Community Sciences with a long history of collaborative relationships with community agencies and local and state governments. More specifically, the CJMHSA TAC is part of the the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy which is one of two departments that comprise FMHI.
In FY 2016, the Florida Legislature funded the CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant Program with a $9 million recurring appropriation to expand services for persons with mental illness and substance use disorders involved in the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems. This expansion of the grant program expanded eligible applicants to county governments, managing entities, courts, law enforcement, and providers to implement evidenced-based practices as a cross-systems approach. Between 2007 and 2025, there have been over 170 reinvestment grant awards comprising planning and implementation/expansion grants.
The purpose of the CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant program includes:
- Diverting individuals with mental health and/or substance issues from the criminal and juvenile justice systems,
- Improving the accessibility and effectiveness of treatment services for adults and juveniles who have a mental illness, substance abuse disorder, or co-occurring disorder and who are in or at risk of entering the criminal or juvenile justice systems, and
- Providing funds to plan, implement, or expand initiatives that increase public safety and avert increased spending on criminal and juvenile justice systems.