Northwest Missouri Mental Health Task Force to Meet October 20th

The Fourth Circuit Leadership Team on Mental Health and Criminal Justice (referred to as “ Leadership Team” hereinafter) invites the public to attend a joint meeting of the Worth, Atchison, Nodaway, Holt , and Gentry County Commissions to discuss the formation of a multi-county cooperative community mental health program on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, at 9:00 A.M., in the basement conference room of the Nodaway County Administration Building, 403 North Market Street, Maryville, Missouri 64468. 

The Leadership Team is a committee of law enforcement officers, medical personnel, counselors, juvenile officers, a prosecuting attorney, a criminal defense attorney, and judges, assembled to address the current gaps in available mental health resources in the Fourth Circuit. Presiding Judge Roger Prokes created the committee and appointed Judge Robert Rice as Chair of the committee. In December 2020 the Leadership Team created a two-phase project plan and applied for funding from the State of Missouri’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative grant. In January 2021 the Leadership Team’s project plan was awarded $50,000 in grant funds. Over the last ten months those funds have been effectively disbursed to address the urgent need for mental health resources and remedies in the Fourth Circuit

As noted above, the grant has two phases. The first phase addressed crisis intervention counseling services, crisis intervention training for law enforcement and jail staff, alternative treatment court programs such as Drug Court and DWI Court, transportation to services, and the urgent lack of local mental health resources to meet the public’s needs.

The second phase is designed to sustain the success of the first phase by establishing a multi-county cooperative community mental health program offering services to the residents of the counties of Worth, Atchison, Nodaway, Holt, and Gentry. The program is administered by a Board of Trustees whose members are selected by the participating counties. The goal of the second phase is for the program to adequately respond to the crisis and ensure individuals with behavioral health needs have access to the services, education, and support they need to improve their quality of life. Moreover, the second phase will have long-term benefits on public safety and criminal justice outcomes.

The proposed program mirrors one already in existence in the counties of Clay, Platte, and Ray, in North Kansas City.

At the public meeting, the Leadership Team will share in greater detail how they utilized the grant funds including statistics and inspiring anecdotes of those who benefitted from the program. The meeting will begin with a presentation from the Leadership Team to the counties’ Commissioners followed by an opportunity for the Commissioners to ask questions.

Following the meeting, the Leadership Team will begin collaboration with the counties to seek their consent and support to implement the program.

The Leadership Team hopes this public presentation opens an important dialogue within the Fourth Circuit communities about mental health and the necessity for mental health resource accessibility in rural communities.

The Leadership Team and Commissioners will be available for a group photograph following the meeting.