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The Department of Children and Families is giving out grant money to help treat mentally ill patients in county jails. Today in Tallahassee, DCF gave Leon County 7-hundred thousand dollars. Statewide, 21 other grants were awarded. Some of the money is used to train law enforcement officer how to identify mentally ill inmates. The money will also be used to pay for inmate counseling. Mentally ill inmates cost taxpayers 7 times as much as regular inmates. Bill Janes is the Assistant Secretary of Mental Health for DCF. Janes said, with a little help some of the inmates could lead productive lives.

“We need to get them out of the jails so they don’t escalate into a prison environment or a state hospital. We need to treat them in the community, help them live productive sustained lives,” said Janes.

Part of the money will also help fund a drug and mental health court. DCF plans to expand the programs to all county jails in Florida.