1. (a) The purpose of the juvenile behavioral health competitive grant program is to support jurisdictions, particularly in rural areas, to evaluate a child's behavioral health needs and divert the child from formal court involvement and out-of-home placement into community or school based mental health treatment.

2. (b) Grant recipients shall use a validated mental health screening tool, and a full mental health assessment tool, if necessary, and may use the funds to conduct the following activities:

   1. (1) Partnering with law enforcement to implement a program to divert a child from formal court proceedings.
   2. (2) Creating crisis stabilization services and a mobile crisis unit.
   3. (3) Providing comprehensive case management for a child or family in crisis.
   4. (4) Identifying and strengthening community based intensive treatment and management services.
   5. (5) Establishing telehealth services (as defined in IC 25-1-9.5-6 ) and programs.
   6. (6) Supporting mental health evaluations, which include the use of telehealth services (as defined in IC 25-1-9.5-6 ).
3. (c) The Indiana criminal justice institute may consider those programs and activities identified for possible funding in the plan submitted to the commission by the oversight committee under IC 2-5-36-9.3 (b), but may not rely exclusively on the plan in providing statewide funding under the program.
4. (d) The Indiana criminal justice institute shall adopt performance measures that apply to grantees under the program, taking into consideration the recommendations of the oversight committee.

As added by P.L.101-2022, SEC.32. Amended by P.L.201-2023, SEC.250; P.L.122-2025, SEC.10.