Mesa County plans to invest in youth and mental health

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - A recent Mesa County Board of Commissioners meeting saw three grant submissions earn approvals. These grants will be submitted to the Bureau of Justice Assistance and aim to bring funding to youth and family programming. These programs will also help reduce the need for law enforcement and criminal justice services.

One grant is worth $550,000 and would expand an existing program helping those released from jail. Another grant submission at $825,000 would expand upon case management services. The third grant submission at $550,000 aims to keep kids away and out of the criminal justice system. Those with mental health or substance abuse disorders will benefit from the expansion and support the county will receive from the grants. Mesa County will partner with many organizations like the Lighthouse Program.

Lisa Rickerd Mills, director of Mesa County Behavioral Health, tells us that three grants will help our communities. “...almost every single person in the community will benefit from these programs in one way or another because they all expand capacity programming. If there’s any law enforcement or potential for law enforcement involvement, and you have a mental health and substance use issue, these programs will help...”

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