Alachua County was awarded nearly $1 million Friday to help treat children and adults with mental illnesses or substance-abuse problems.
The three-year, $999,000 grant targets individuals who are currently involved in the criminal justice system. It also aims to treat individuals who are at risk of being arrested before they have a chance to break the law.
The Criminal Justice, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grant Program will help up to 70 at-risk individuals at a time and will serve 150 people annually, said Bob Butterworth, secretary of the state Department of Children and Families, in a news release.
Each patient will be helped for a period of four to six months, the release stated.
The money, which came from the DCF and the Florida Substance Abuse and Mental Health Corp., was awarded to the county Friday at a press conference in downtown Gainesville. Eleven other Florida counties have recently received similar grants, but no feedback from those programs is available yet, said Cyndi Morton, director of Alachua County Court Services.
County Commissioner Rodney J. Long said 13 groups were involved in securing the grant, and Friday was a celebration of a "truly cooperative effort."
"It's a good day when you can receive a check," Long said.
