Six states – Connecticut, Florida, New Mexico, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Texas – will share in $7.2-million in grants to divert offenders with mental illnesses to addiction and mental-health treatment programs.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded the three-year grants.

"All too often individuals with mental illness, often with co-occurring substance abuse, are incarcerated instead of receiving treatment for their disorders," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie said. "These grants offer an alternative. By providing treatment and support services, we can avoid the unnecessary criminalization and incarceration of non-violent adult offenders with mental illness."

For a full description of grantees, see the SAMHSA website.