Maryland Community Criminal Justice Treatment Program

The mission of MCCJTP is to reduce the recidivism of mentally ill inmates to detention and mental health institutions through improving linkages to community resources, supports and health services. The Howard County Mental Health Authority monitors the MCCJTP program in collaboration with the Howard County Department of Corrections.

The MCCJTP program provides a licensed clinician who does both clinical assessment and treatment along with case management for those identified with a serious mental health illness in the Detention Center. The clinician also works with the legal system to provide clinical recommendations and treatment programming options rather than incarceration to the court. The unique component of this program is the establishment of a therapeutic working relationship by developing a community aftercare plan, and partnering the client and community providers to ensure a support system of resources and services for the client’s successful re-entry into the community.

Other services the MCCJTP program provides are crisis intervention and aftercare arrangements to inmates in the Detention Center while working with medical staff, correctional officers and the Administration to ensure proper care of clients who are vulnerable and who engage in high risk behaviors. Additionally, annual training is offered to the correctional officers on suicide prevention, and identifying and understanding the mentally ill population.