Supporting Clients Who Have Been Justice-Involved
Resource Availability
This course material was originally created by SMI Adviser, now rebranded as SMI CalAdviser. The content in this course material is still current and relevant, yet, please be aware that some external resources and links may no longer be active or available. 
Overview

Individuals with SMI who have been involved in the criminal justice system face numerous challenges including additional stigma. They may also exhibit behaviors that were adaptive in correctional settings but become maladaptive in other settings. Many of these persons have histories of trauma and their exposure to criminal justice processes can be further traumatizing. Many will have antisocial personality features that the mental health treatment provider may feel ill-equipped to support and may even not enjoy the work of working with these individuals, which can lead to personal burn out and difficulty with compassion. This can be especially true for patients with histories of aggression or even violence. In addition, individuals with SMI in the criminal justice system often have co-occurring substance use disorders and medical conditions that compound their complexity. The criminal justice system utilizes a rubric called the Risk-Need-Responsivity paradigm to identify individual risk of criminal recidivism. Interventions such as specific cognitive behavioral strategies are often used in criminal justice contexts to address some of the criminogenic thinking associated with such recidivism. This framework has been applied to broad populations even while more research is needed to determine how these methods can best fit for persons with SMI. This presentation reviews these various topics to assist mental health professionals in supporting their patients who have had criminal justice involvement. 

Format 

Recorded webinar, non-interactive, self-paced distance learning activity with post-test.  

This presentation was recorded on December 20, 2019. 

Learning Objectives 

Describe some of the challenges clinicians face in working with clients who have been criminal justice-involved 

Discuss approaches used by the criminal justice system to identify and reduce criminal recidivism 

Describe how trauma-informed approaches can facilitate working with individuals who have been justice involved 

Outline 

  • Challenges clinicians might face in their work with justice involved patients   
  • Approaches used by the criminal justice system to identify and reduce criminal recidivism 
  • How trauma-informed approaches can facilitate working with individuals who have been justice involved 

Target Audience 

Psychiatrist, Physician (non-psychiatrist), Physician Assistant, Psychologist, Counselor, Peer Specialist/Peer Support 

Instructional Level 

Intermediate; Advanced; Expert 

Estimated Time to Complete 

Estimated Duration: 1.0 hour  
Program Start Date: July 30,2025 
Program End Date: July 30, 2028 

Ongoing Interdisciplinary Discussion Board 

After completing the course, engage with colleagues in the mental health field through the Webinar Roundtable Topics discussion board. This is an easy way to network and share ideas with other clinicians who participate in this webinar. Access through the discussion tab.  

How to Earn Credit 

After completing the evaluation, participants will have the opportunity to claim their hours of participation and download the appropriate certificate. Physicians may obtain an official CME certificate, other healthcare professionals may receive a CE certificate (as applicable), and all other attendees may generate a certificate of participation. Each certificate will reflect the event date and total hours earned. 

Continuing Education Credit 

In support of improving patient care, American Psychiatric Association (APA) is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.  

Physicians   

The APA designates this live event for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.  

Psychologists   

Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs. 

Continuing education requirements vary from state to state. Many state boards grant reciprocity with national accrediting organizations and other state boards. It is the responsibility of each professional to understand the requirements for license renewal or check with the state or national licensing board and/or professional organization to become more familiar with their policies for acceptable continuing education credit. Social workers and Psychologists should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval.    

 

Faculty and Planner Disclosures 

The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME's Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity - including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others - are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.  

Faculty 

  • Debra Pinals, MD, is the director of the Program in Psychiatry, Law, and Ethics and a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School. Dr. Pinals reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.  

Program Planners 

  • Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.  
  • Amy N. Cohen, PhD, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. 
  • Tristan Gorrindo, MD, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. 

Reviewers 

  • John Torous, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Torous has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. (Reviewed on 1/4/23) 
  • Amy N. Cohen, PhD, American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Cohen has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. (Reviewed on 12/28/22) 
  • Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Dr. Brister has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. (Reviewed on 1/4/23) 

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities 

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance. 

Technical Requirements 

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following: 

The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari 

Internet Explorer 11+ 

This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player. 

Optimal System Configuration: 

Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version) 

Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version) 

Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher 

Minimum Requirements: 

Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content 

Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content 

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity |  

Contact support@smicaladviser.org for technical assistance 

Summary
Availability:
On-Demand
Expires on Jul 30, 2028
Credit Offered:
1 CME Credit
1 Psychology CE Credit
1 COP Credit
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