This bill transforms the existing community crisis response team pilot program into a permanent initiative, ensuring ongoing support for municipalities and community-based organizations to address behavioral health crises. The Attorney General will oversee the program, which will now operate in specific counties, and will be responsible for developing a request for proposals to allocate grant funding. The bill includes a $6 million appropriation for fiscal year 2027 and mandates that the Department of Law and Public Safety request $6 million annually starting in fiscal year 2028 to sustain the program. Each eligible municipality can receive up to $2 million in grant funding per year, and the program emphasizes the importance of community engagement and the diversion of behavioral health calls from law enforcement.

Additionally, the bill outlines specific eligibility criteria for municipalities and community-based organizations seeking grants, including the requirement to demonstrate a relationship with state-approved harm reduction centers. It also mandates the submission of detailed applications that include stakeholder involvement, project frameworks, and evaluation metrics. The Attorney General is tasked with publishing an annual request for proposals, and the Community Crisis Response Advisory Council will provide annual reports on the program's status and outcomes, ensuring transparency and accountability in the program's implementation.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 52:17B-236.5, 52:17B-236.6, 52:17B-236.7