NCJ Number
175213
Date Published
1996
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Two regional forums were conducted in 1996 in San Francisco and Orlando to examine strategies for planning mental health and substance services for jail detainees in an era of managed behavioral health care.
Abstract
The forums provided an opportunity for multidisciplinary jails to create or enhance local approaches to integrating services for individuals with co-occurring disorders at critical points within the criminal justice system. The following major principles were derived from the forums: (1) creating opportunities for multiple system team participation is crucial to accomplishing real change at the local level on issues of co- occurring mental health and substance abuse services in criminal justice systems; (2) integration of mental health and substance abuse services is an important ultimate goal but intermediate steps of improved cooperation, collaboration, and coordination can produce significant improvements; (3) jails are excellent starting points for developing services for persons with co- occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders by linking community-based services with jail-based programs and procedures; and (4) co-occurring services for women and juveniles require special attention because of the especially severe deficits in meeting the needs of these groups.