The state gave Alachua County nearly a million dollars to help inmates and others in the community with a substance abuse or mental illness.

In 2006 about 230 of the inmates who entered the Alachua County Jail were dealing with substance abuse problems and mental illness.

Now the county hopes to get those numbers down.

"Will provide new services so that they can prevent people being in jail when they can more effectively be treated in the community," says Don Winstad Fl. Dept. of Children and Families.

The program will targets adult and juveniles who have a mental illness or substance abuse problem and are at risk of entering the criminal justice system.

A Meridian Behavioral Healthcare specialist will be assigned to the jail to help identify inmates in need of help.

Alachua County Chair Rodney Long says he hopes the program helps the homeless in the community as well.