Madison County Sheriff John Mehr announces that his office in Jackson, TN,
has been selected as one of four law enforcement agencies in the expansion
of the Mental Health Learning Site Program in the United States. These
agencies to act as peer-to- peer learning sites to assist their efforts to
improve services for people with mental illness.

Originally six sites were selected. Madison County joins Arlington, MA,
Jackson County, Ohio, and Tucson, AZ, in the role of Host Agencies. These
additional sites were chosen in a very competitive process. Originally 22
cities applied and after several rounds of elimination, Madison County was
declared one of four.

Sheriff Mehr ranked this honor as one of the top accomplishments during
his first four years of service, 

Participating agencies will be able to use the learning sites to help
reduce repeat encounters with law enforcement; reduce arrests; increase
connections to and availability of behavioral health resources; and make
encounters with officers safer. Each learning site will answer questions
from the field, host site visits, and work with CSG Justice Center staff to
develop materials for practitioners and community partners.

This project is funded by the Department of Justice and will be involved
with Crisis Intervention Training, post traumatic stress disorder training
and transports of individuals to inpatient psychiatric hospitals.

Sheriff Mehr SAID, The Madison County Sheriff Ofiice has excellent working
relationships in the field of mental health as indicated with the $3.1
million dollar grant to construct the Madison County Diversion Center, and
the additional $200,000 mental health grant, both earned in 2017.