The Forensic Intervention and Re-entry Services Team (FIRST) serves adults who have a mental illness and are involved in the criminal justice system in Leon County. Individuals are served at every stage of the criminal justice process including: pending proceedings, incarceration, mental health pre-trial release and mental health probation or release.
The purpose of the FIRST team is to enhance coordination between criminal justice and the mental health systems in order to achieve case disposition and divert individuals from the detention facility to community services. FIRST services include:
- Liaison services with the detention facility and court
- Case Coordination
- Re-entry Planning
- Case Management
- Medication Management
- Group & Individual Therapy
- Group & Individual Psychosocial Rehabilitation
- Benefits Restoration
Eligibility for FIRST services include:
- At least 18 years of age; and
- Have a primary diagnosis of mental illness; and
- Resident of Leon County; and
- On mental health pre-trial release; or
- On conditional release; or
- Incarcerated in the Leon County Detention Facility; and
- Have a pending felony or misdemeanor case and in need of competency restoration or at risk for commitment to a forensic state hospital.