Bridging Justice and Mental Health in St. Louis
Build Missouri Health is proud to welcome the Legal-Behavioral Health Integration Project as a new fiscally sponsored partner.
Founded by attorney Patrick Georgen, who is also a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), the project addresses a critical gap at the intersection of behavioral health and the legal system. Thousands of individuals in St. Louis living with severe and persistent mental illness face unresolved legal challenges — municipal warrants, housing disputes, outstanding convictions. These issues create stress, destabilize housing, and interrupt treatment.
The Legal-Behavioral Health Integration Project embeds legal representation directly into community behavioral health care. In partnership with the St. Louis City Public Defender’s Office, the model integrates an attorney trained in trauma-informed mental health practice into treatment teams. Clients receive direct representation in municipal cases, expungements, and housing matters, while the attorney works alongside behavioral health providers to reduce barriers that undermine recovery.
“At its core, the mission of the Legal-Behavioral Health Integration Project is about the dignity of people who would otherwise fall through the cracks,” Patrick explains.
An early pilot demonstrated success:
This work reflects a growing recognition that legal issues are a social determinant of health. When legal barriers are addressed, individuals are better positioned to secure housing, maintain employment, and remain engaged in care.
Fiscal sponsorship allows emerging initiatives to attract donors and secure grants by having an established nonprofit serve as the administrative home for the project. For initiatives that do not independently qualify as tax-exempt organizations, this structure provides a pathway for tax-deductible funding.
Build Missouri Health primarily uses a model that enables unincorporated organizations or collaborative efforts to operate under BMH’s nonprofit status (EIN) in order to secure grants and donations. Upon receiving funds, BMH disburses those resources to the sponsored project to cover expenses such as staff, consultants, and other project-related costs.
Through this arrangement, the sponsored project maintains responsibility for its own staffing and operations, while BMH provides financial oversight and administrative infrastructure.
By serving as the fiscal sponsor for the Legal-Behavioral Health Integration Project, Build Missouri Health is helping create a pathway for this innovative model to grow and attract the support it needs to strengthen health outcomes across our region.
We invite partners and supporters to learn more and join us in advancing this integrated approach to health and justice.
Founded by attorney Patrick Georgen, who is also a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), the project addresses a critical gap at the intersection of behavioral health and the legal system. Thousands of individuals in St. Louis living with severe and persistent mental illness face unresolved legal challenges — municipal warrants, housing disputes, outstanding convictions. These issues create stress, destabilize housing, and interrupt treatment.
The Legal-Behavioral Health Integration Project embeds legal representation directly into community behavioral health care. In partnership with the St. Louis City Public Defender’s Office, the model integrates an attorney trained in trauma-informed mental health practice into treatment teams. Clients receive direct representation in municipal cases, expungements, and housing matters, while the attorney works alongside behavioral health providers to reduce barriers that undermine recovery.
“At its core, the mission of the Legal-Behavioral Health Integration Project is about the dignity of people who would otherwise fall through the cracks,” Patrick explains.
An early pilot demonstrated success:
- 43 municipal charges addressed
- 18 arrest warrants recalled
- 6 cases dismissed
-
48 driver’s license points saved
This work reflects a growing recognition that legal issues are a social determinant of health. When legal barriers are addressed, individuals are better positioned to secure housing, maintain employment, and remain engaged in care.
Why Fiscal Sponsorship Matters
Fiscal sponsorship allows emerging initiatives to attract donors and secure grants by having an established nonprofit serve as the administrative home for the project. For initiatives that do not independently qualify as tax-exempt organizations, this structure provides a pathway for tax-deductible funding.
Build Missouri Health primarily uses a model that enables unincorporated organizations or collaborative efforts to operate under BMH’s nonprofit status (EIN) in order to secure grants and donations. Upon receiving funds, BMH disburses those resources to the sponsored project to cover expenses such as staff, consultants, and other project-related costs.
Through this arrangement, the sponsored project maintains responsibility for its own staffing and operations, while BMH provides financial oversight and administrative infrastructure.
By serving as the fiscal sponsor for the Legal-Behavioral Health Integration Project, Build Missouri Health is helping create a pathway for this innovative model to grow and attract the support it needs to strengthen health outcomes across our region.
We invite partners and supporters to learn more and join us in advancing this integrated approach to health and justice.