The Office of Justice Initiatives provides targeted public safety programs to reduce incarceration and to offer meaningful alternative services to the county’s vulnerable population affected by varied mental, health, and behavioral challenges.  

Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program 

 The Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program (COAP) identifies individuals at a high risk of overdose and diverts them away from the criminal justice system. The program’s main goal is harm reduction by rapid referrals, substance use disorder treatment, and wrap-around service provision. Please contact Integrated Addiction Care at 901-649-6284 for more information. 

Justice Assistance Grants (JAG)

Through the U.S. Department of Justice JAG Program, OJI is able to administer critical funding to support a range of program areas including crime prevention, community corrections, technology improvement, and crisis intervention teams.

Juvenile Evening Reporting Centers

Through a partnership with Shelby County Schools, the reporting centers provide varied programming to cultivate positive social relationships, set academic goals, and develop career readiness skills. The reporting centers also function as an alternative placement to juvenile detention to discourage future delinquent acts from youths who have already entered the juvenile justice system. For more information, please contact Toria Brown, Manager of The Pursuit Center, at 901-416-2670 (office) or 901-257-8144 (work cell).

Shelby Connects Network 

Via a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) System of Care (SOC) grant, the Shelby County Office of Justice Initiatives (OJI) manages the Shelby Connects Network (SCN). SAMHSA is executed by The University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center (UTHSC). The 4-year collaborative agreement created the needed infrastructure to improve access to mental health and behavioral health services and provide support for youth 21 and under and their families. Using a “no wrong door” approach to care, SAMHSA SOC is part of an evidence-based model used for diverse populations from around the country. For more information, please contact Beverly Davis at 901-448-4200. 

Youth and Family Resource Center

The mission of the Youth and Family Resource Center is to provide a safe place to guide and serve youth, aged 13 to 17 years old. Youth and Family Resource Center will strive to prevent and divert youth from entering or progressing further into the juvenile justice system by helping them to overcome trauma and build resilience. Therefore, the Youth and Family Resource Center will serve as a central point of contact to connect our youth clients to tailored supportive resources in the home, school, and community. Please contact the Youth and Family Resource Center at 901-222-4322.