Heads Up Mendocino is a collaborative legal and social services initiative designed to divert individuals from the criminal justice system by connecting them with appropriate behavioral health and social support resources. This innovative project operates as a partnership between law enforcement, behavioral health, and social services agencies in Mendocino County, California, focusing on early intervention and community-based solutions.
The project utilizes an email alert system that allows law enforcement to notify behavioral health and social services departments about individuals whose needs are better served outside the traditional criminal justice framework. This approach aims to reduce unproductive use of law enforcement and jail resources while providing more effective, humane support to vulnerable community members. The initiative specifically targets individuals with repeated interactions across criminal justice, social services, and behavioral health systems.
Services Offered
- Legal services diversion programs
- Behavioral health support coordination
- Social services referrals
- Criminal justice system alternative pathways
- Multi-agency collaborative response coordination
- Early identification of at-risk individuals
- Mobile crisis team coordination
- Inter-agency communication systems
Heads Up Mendocino operates exclusively within Mendocino County, California, and currently partners with the Ukiah Police Department, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, and Mendocino County Probation Department, with an open invitation for all local law enforcement and first responder agencies to participate.
