Implementing Behavioral Health Assessments During Booking in Cook County, Illinois

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2:15 pm - 3:45 pm

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Cook County, Illinois, averages 6,000 bookings per month at its centralized booking facility. As part of its involvement in the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge, and with the technical assistance of Justice System Partners, Cook County identified the need for increased diversion to behavioral health treatment for those entering the criminal justice system. Through collaborative exploration with the County’s criminal justice agencies and the Cook County Health and Hospital System (CCHHS), an integrated behavioral health assessment process was developed that occurs during the booking process. CCHHS staff began in May 2017 to administer assessments, alongside pretrial staff, to detainees just prior to felony bond court. These assessments provide the information necessary to connect defendants to CCHHS’s existing community and treatment provider networks. CCHHS will provide an overview of the assessment tool, the available process and outcome data, and the next steps for Cook County's diversion efforts.