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Twenty-two law enforcement officers from eight agencies across the Paint Valley ADAMH Board region completed a 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team training program on May 8, bringing the region's total number of CIT-certified officers and first responders to 238 since the program launched in 2013.

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced the graduation of 23 law enforcement officers from the Spring 2026 CIT Training Program on May 1, the largest class in the program's history, marking the milestone as the county's official kickoff to Mental Health Awareness Month.

The Ozark County Sheriff's Department has hired Chris Bryant, a former Emmy Award-winning television journalist with over 25 years of experience — as its first Crisis Intervention Team coordinator, a grant-funded position focused on connecting community members experiencing mental health challenges, substance abuse, or other crises with appropriate local resources.

California's 2018 mental health diversion law allows defendants with qualifying diagnoses to receive psychiatric treatment instead of prison time rather than going to prison, but the Legislature is now advancing Assembly Bill 46, which would make it easier for judges to deny diversion by lowering the legal threshold required to block it.

Law enforcement leaders and police unions back the change, pointing to Sacramento County cases where individuals reoffended after receiving diversion — including several later charged with murder — while noting that nearly 36% of those granted diversion in 2025 were subsequently arrested on new charges. Opponents, including public defenders, argue the program has successfully connected more than 17,000 people with treatment since 2019 and that statewide crime has fallen to historic lows over the same period, warning the bill would shift too much authority away from mental health professionals and unfairly impact vulnerable populations.

An Albany diversion program that pairs people with case managers and services rather than cycling them through jail is being highlighted as a model for mental health-informed public safety, with officials citing early results showing roughly 80% of participants secured permanent housing and about two-thirds were not rearrested within a year.

At an event marking the program's 10th anniversary, former Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox emphasized that while incarceration is sometimes necessary, the program reflects a broader philosophy that connecting people to case managers and services is often the better path. Community advocates stressed that stable housing is frequently the critical turning point, noting that without it, people struggle to maintain employment, attend treatment, or meet court requirements — and that local shelters at capacity and affordability challenges make securing housing especially difficult for those with criminal records.