Supported by
Criminal Justice Support for New State Administrations
Addressing Behavioral Health in the Justice System In recent years, states and localities have strengthened their approaches to connecting people in the criminal justice system to behavioral health supports and services. This session highlights ways that states can facilitate stronger interagency collaboration and coordination to improve outcomes for people with substance use disorders and/or mental illnesses who are in the justice system. Alan Cormier, Facilities Executive, Vermont Department of Corrections Tracy Plouck, Executive in Residence, Ohio University; former Director, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Michal Rudnick, Project Management Administrator, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System Sandra Wilkniss, Program Director, NGA Health (moderator) 4 Strategies to Better Address Behavioral Health Needs for People in the Criminal Justice System 1. Formalize cross-system collaboration among state and local leaders: Bring state and local leaders across multiple systems (criminal justice, health, behavioral health, housing, etc.) together to understand local challenges, establish shared goals, and identify opportunities for states to support local collaborative responses. 2. Build capacity to collect data and share information: Encourage meaningful cross-agency data sharing at the state level to identify gaps and effectively leverage programs (such as Medicaid) to direct resources and evaluate initiatives. Help localities track progress and share information so that state and local leaders can collaboratively examine the impact of investments and target resources toward the most effective responses. 3. Interrupt the cycle of people coming into contact with the criminal justice system: Expand opportunities to divert people with behavioral health needs who do not pose a public safety risk from the criminal justice system at all decision points and connect them, as well as people currently in the system, to appropriate services and supports. 4. Expand availability of and access to community care and services: Ensure that sufficient capacity exists to address the unmet behavioral health needs of people in the community, and that available services and care include responses to people in the criminal justice system. 14 Questions New Administrations Should Ask to Set a Behavioral Health Agenda 1. What can your state do to promote universal screening and assessment processes using validated tools to identify people who have mental illnesses and substance addictions across the criminal justice system? 2. Do criminal justice agencies in your state use shared definitions for serious mental illnesses and substance addictions across the state? If not, can the state support local jurisdictions in identifying shared definitions? 3. How can your state improve behavioral health data collection, analysis, and information sharing between state and local criminal justice and behavioral health agencies to strengthen strategic planning, increase access to treatment and supports, and improve outcomes? 4. What steps is your state taking to reduce the prevalence of people who have mental illnesses in jails? 5. What is your state doing to reduce the number of overdose deaths for people who are at a high risk of overdosing in the period immediately after release from incarceration?
6. Does your state evaluate the availability of treatment and services to determine necessary funding levels to meet the behavioral health needs of people in the criminal justice system? 7. How can your state support local agencies in developing additional options to help reduce or avoid jail time, when appropriate, for people who have behavioral health conditions? 8. What standards does your state have for providing behavioral health treatment and services to people in jail or prison, as well as in the community? 9. Do current contracts with treatment and service providers include provisions and incentives to tie delivery of services to both criminal justice and behavioral health outcomes? 10. Does your state require treatment providers or criminal justice agencies to report regularly on criminal justice and behavioral health outcomes? 11. How can your state take steps to finance and incentivize the provision of treatment and services that effectively reduce recidivism and advance recovery for people in the criminal justice system who have behavioral health needs? 12. What can be done in your state to incentivize collaboration between criminal justice and behavioral health agencies, both at the state and local levels? 13. Is there a standing state-level committee consisting of representatives from criminal justice and behavioral health agencies and relevant stakeholders that is focused on improving health and public safety outcomes for people in the criminal justice system who have behavioral health needs? 14. Are there county-level collaborative efforts to improve health and public safety outcomes for people in the criminal justice system who have behavioral health needs? If so, what can be done to replicate efforts in other counties?
Criminal Justice Support for New State Administrations | 2