Supporting Persons with SMI in the Community after Release from a Correctional Setting-View Presentation

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Video Summary

In the recent SMI Advisor webinar, Dr. Deborah Pinals elaborated on strategies for supporting persons with serious mental illness (SMI) transitioning back into the community after incarceration. Dr. Pinals, an expert in behavioral health and forensic programs, explored various models to aid this vulnerable demographic. The webinar highlighted critical time intervention, forensic assertive community treatment (FACT), and Mission Criminal Justice, emphasizing different frameworks tailored to improve post-release outcomes. Critical time intervention focuses on transitional support immediately after release, reducing the risk of homelessness and recidivism by engaging individuals with community services. FACT adapts the assertive community treatment model to emphasize reducing reincarceration rather than merely preventing hospital readmissions. Mission Criminal Justice combines elements of critical time intervention and dual recovery therapy, including peer support, focusing on individuals with co-occurring disorders. Challenges in reentry were discussed, highlighting issues like disrupted social supports, heightened risk of homelessness and health decline, and stigma. Emphasizing the importance of engagement, effective reentry models involve building pre-release relationships and integrating mental health and criminal justice efforts. The session underscored the necessity of system-level reforms to enhance continuity and coordination of care, the role of cross-system training, and new collaborative frameworks for justice-involved individuals with SMI. The conclusions pointed towards the potential of these models, suggesting optimism for reducing the cycle of reincarceration among individuals with SMI.

Keywords

serious mental illness

community reentry

incarceration

critical time intervention

forensic assertive community treatment

Mission Criminal Justice

recidivism

co-occurring disorders

cross-system training

system-level reforms