Lessons Learned From Three Mental Health Diversion & Post-Release Programs

October 2007 The Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee sought to determine the fiscal impact of three mental health diversion projects. They reviewed reports of programs in Chester and Allegheny counties, and a program run by Gaudenzia, Inc., in the City of Philadelphia. They found that mental health courts, diversion, and post-release support programs operated in Pennsylvania did not result in significant cost savings. However, the potential to avoid jail costs occurred when the programs were a joint effort between criminal justice and mental health agencies. The three programs reviewed were essentially cost-neutral. The program successes also depended . . .