Justice Library

Beyond Jails: Community-Based Strategies for Public Safety

Publication Date: Nov 01 2021

Vera Institute of Justice

For decades, the United States has responded to social issues like mental health and substance use crises, chronic homelessness, and ongoing cycles of interpersonal violence with jail. This has disrupted the lives of millions of people—disproportionately harming Black and Indigenous people—without improving public safety. There’s a better way. Communities can instead invest in agencies and organizations that address these issues outside the criminal legal system. The proven solutions highlighted in this multimedia report look beyond jails to promote safe and thriving communities.

Behavioral Health Call Centers and 988 Implementation

Publication Date: Nov 01 2021

(NASMHPD) Research Institute (NRI)

The purpose of the survey was to help states learn from each other on how they are working to implement 988 within the context of existing and emerging behavioral health crisis continuum. This report summarizes the results of the survey completed either partially or completely by 43 states 

Tips for Successfully Implementing a 911 Dispatch Diversion Program

Publication Date: Oct 01 2021

CSG

A diversion model showing great promise across the U.S. is 911 dispatch diversion, sometimes called crisis call diversion. The approach aims to reduce unnecessary police contact by connecting people to mental health professionals when someone contacts 911 due to a behavioral health crisis or other health or social service need. This brief outlines four tips for successfully implementing 911 dispatch diversion in a community.

Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

Publication Date: Oct 01 2021

SAMHSA

This first findings report summarizes key findings from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) for national indicators of substance use and mental health among people aged 12 years old or older in the civilian, noninstitutionalized population of the United States.

Racism, Chronic Disease, and Mental Health: Time to Change Our Racialized System of Second-Class Care

Publication Date: Sep 27 2021

MDPI

In this article, we describe how the “weathering hypothesis” and Adverse Childhood Experiences set the stage for higher rates of chronic disease, mental health disorders and maternal mortality seen in African American adults. We illustrate the toll that untreated and overtreated mental health disorders have on Black individuals, who have similar rates of mental health disorders as their white counterparts but have fewer outpatient mental health services and higher rates of hospitalizations. 

Advisory: Treating Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury

Publication Date: Sep 01 2021

SAMHSA

This Advisory is an update to the SMA10-4591, Vol. 9 Issue 2, published in 2010. The advisory summarizes key elements of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and describes its relevance to behavioral health, including recommendations for behavioral health professionals.

Incorporating Racial Equity into Trauma-Informed Care

Publication Date: Sep 01 2021

Center for Health Care Strategies

This brief offers practical considerations to help health systems and provider practices incorporate a focus on racial equity to enhance trauma-informed care efforts. It draws from the experiences of two federally qualified health centers — the Stephen and Sandra Sheller 11th Street Family Health Services in Philadelphia and Bread for the City in Washington, D.C

Officer Health and Wellness Agency Assessment Tool and Action Planning Roadmap

Publication Date: Aug 11 2021

IACP

A comprehensive strategy to promote officer safety and wellness requires a multi-faceted approach addressing a variety of essential topics. The information contained in this resource is intended to serve as a guide for law enforcement executives or wellness program personnel who seek to establish or enhance an officer wellness program.

Building exits off the highway to mass incarceration: Diversion programs explained

Publication Date: Jul 20 2021

Prison Policy Initiative

The landscape of diversion is vast, and the design and implementation of each program matters.

Collaborative Court and Community Diversion for Individuals with Behavioral Health Needs

Publication Date: Jun 21 2021

National Center for State Courts

Justices and Conference of State Court Administrators National Judicial Task Force to Examine State Court’s Response to Mental Illness conducted a survey to create a picture of the national landscape regarding adult behavioral health diversions and practices available in each state.

Trauma-Informed Care: The Importance of Understanding the Incarcerated Women

Publication Date: Jun 16 2021

Journal of Correctional Health Care

This study assessed the significance of trauma-informed care (TIC) in the recidivism rates of incarcerated women. A retrospective longitudinal survey was conducted. ACE scores were evaluated and documented through a self-reported survey. Seven years of Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions registry documentation was assessed. Descriptive statistics were utilized to define patients and evaluate patterns of recidivism after implementation of trauma-informed approaches to care. There is strong evidence associating lower recidivism rates for those who participate in TIC and trauma programs than for those who do not. This evidence supports further evaluation with a serious potential impact of reduction in recidivism and improved trajectories for incarcerated women and their families

Family member incarceration and mental health: Results from a nationally representative survey

Publication Date: Jun 14 2021

SSM - Mental Health

Findings highlight that any family member incarceration—and not necessarily the type of family member incarceration—has repercussions for mental health, and that these associations are not contingent on demographic characteristics. Given the concentration of family member incarceration among people of color and the poor, this adverse experience may exacerbate population health inequalities.