NCJ Number
207652
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 66 Issue: 6 Dated: October 2004 Pages: 26,30,31
Date Published
October 2004
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes the goals and achievements of the initiative, Facilitating Collaboration Between Corrections and Mental Health Systems, which was launched by the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) and the Council of State Governments (CSG) in October 2003 to assist criminal justice and mental health professionals in working together to improve the criminal justice system's response to offenders with mental illness.
Abstract
The initiative synthesizes relevant research, convenes professionals from the two fields, identifies emerging practices in the provision of mental health services to offenders, and disseminates this information to policymakers and practitioners. The initiative provides two levels of technical assistance. The objective of the first level is to help States improve collaboration between corrections and mental health agencies. The second level is intensive technical assistance. Of the 13 sites selected for participation in the first level of technical assistance, 3 to 6 sites will receive intensive technical assistance. NIC and CSG representatives will work with these sites to ensure that other jurisdictions will derive lessons from their experiences. Sites that were not selected to receive technical assistance can still request it through NIC's general technical assistance process. Nearly 70 requests for technical assistance have been received from jail and prison systems as well as community corrections organizations. An area of particular interest is the provision of mental health services for offenders when they reenter the community after incarceration. Resource Web sites are listed and described.