CEP's eligibility requirements are intended to target defendants who would receive a jail or prison sentence without the intervention of an alternative to incarceration (ATI) program. CEP may make exceptions to these requirements if there are additional factors that demonstrate a strong likelihood that the defendant would otherwise receive a jail sentence.

CEP accepts 16 to 19 year-old defendants who are:

• Incarcerated at intake, or who were incarcerated at any point between the felony arraignment and intake; or
• Not incarcerated, and one of the following applies:
  • Charged with an AFO or certain sexual offenses;
  • Charged with a VFO, and bail was imposed at any point after arrest; or
  • Charged with a B or C non-violent felony and has a prior arrest; or
  • Charged with a D or E non-violent felony and has some on-going involvement in the criminal justice system, such as an open criminal case, probation or a conditional discharge.

The Nathaniel ACT Program serves individuals indicted on felony charges who are jail- or prison-bound and who have a severe and persistent mental illness. Individuals must have a demonstrated history of noncompliance with traditional mental health treatment services and have high use of acute psychiatric hospitals.