March 2011 e-newsletter
FEATURESPresident's FY 2012 Budget Released
On February 14, 2011, President Obama unveiled his fiscal year 2012 budget proposal. The $3.73 trillion measure calls for $3.0 billion for the Department of Justice and proposes that drug and mental health courts programs be combined into a $57 million drug, mental health, and problem-solving courts initiative. This policy change would eliminate many of the non-judicial programs funded under MIOTRCA. For more information on what this means for jurisdictions receiving MIOTCRA funds, click here.
Topics in CJ/MH: Mental Illness and Violence
Tragic incidents involving people with mental illnesses who are violent, although rare, tend to draw intense media and public attention. This can intensify existing misperceptions about the relationship between mental illnesses and violence. This feature, which draws from the recently published Responding to a High-Profile Tragic Incident Involving a Person with a Serious Mental Illness and corresponding webinar, highlights some key points regarding the relationship between mental illness and violence.
Sign-On Letter Available to Support MIOTCRA Funding
The Council of State Governments Justice Center, along with other organizations, is leading the effort to secure funding for the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act for fiscal year 2012 (which begins October 1, 2011). Due to the current budget situation, the new Congress is planning heavy cuts to domestic spending. Please review the national sign-on letter asking Congress to fund this important grant program. If you are interested in signing the letter, please e-mail Jay Nelson at jnelson@csg.org . Signatures will be collected until March 30, 2011.
Webinar and Forum Discussion on Tragic Incidents Involving People with Mental Illnesses
The Consensus Project recently hosted a webinar on responding to high-profile, tragic incidents involving a person with a serious mental illness. The recorded webinar is now available online. You are also invited to participate in an online discussion forum on this important topic. There, you can post questions about the related toolkit, learn more about the relationship between mental health and violence, or share the lessons learned within your own jurisdiction about responding to similar incidents. We look forward to hearing from you on the forum!
New Study on Prevalence of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in Juvenile Justice System
Results from a new study indicate that mental illness and substance abuse increase in prevalence as youth are processed more deeply into the juvenile justice system. In "Psychiatric Disorder, Comorbidity, and Suicidal Behavior in Juvenile Justice Youth," Gail A. Wasserman and colleagues found that 35 percent of youth at intake were diagnosed with any type of mental health or substance use disorder, whereas 59 percent of youth in detention and 64 percent of youth in secure post-adjudication placements were diagnosed with a disorder. The rate of youth with these disorders at intake is twice as high as those of youth in the general population. The researchers, from the Center for the Promotion of Mental Health in Juvenile Justice at Columbia University, looked at 10,000 juveniles in more than 50 jurisdictions. For more information, click here.
NAMI Report Measures Cuts to State Mental Health Spending
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), states cut more than $1.8 billion dollars in non-Medicaid mental health spending from 2009 to 2011. Services eliminated by states include community- and hospital-based psychiatric care, housing, and access to medications. The report, State Mental Health Cuts: A National Crisis, examines state-by-state funding changes and projects how these cuts will deepen in the future. To view the report, click here.
Report on Juvenile Mental Health Court Suggests Promising Outcomes
The Alameda County Juvenile Collaborative Court, a juvenile mental health court near Oakland, California, has seen dramatic reductions in detention and recidivism among participants, according to a recent report by the National Center for Youth Law. Improving Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System looks at court processes and outcomes for a small cohort of diverted youth. To view the report, click here.
Results from a Study on Self-Injury in Prisons Now Available
A relatively small proportion of inmates is responsible for frequent episodes of self-injury—on average, just over 1 percent of inmates per year, according to a recent study. However, A National Survey of Self-Injurious Behavior in American Prisons reports that most systems experience these events at least once per week, resulting in serious health, safety, operational, security, and fiscal consequences. Mental health directors in all 51 state and federal prison systems were invited to respond to a 30-item questionnaire. For access to the study, click here.
Web Training: Effective Pharmaceutical Management in Correctional Settings
The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is hosting a three-hour online training session on best practices in pharmaceutical management in correctional settings. “Reduce Costs, Lower Risks, Enhance Healthcare Services: The Promise of Effective Pharmaceutical Management” will cover principles of a well-designed formulary management system, coordination of care for offenders between correctional and non-correctional systems, current practices in the delivery of pharmaceuticals and biological medicines, and more. The training will be held on April 6, 2011, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. You may register up until the beginning of the training. To register, click here. .
Articles from newspapers around the country covering issues at the intersection of mental health and criminal justice can be found on the Consensus Project website. Some recent headlines from the homepage are posted below.