Spotlight on Peers Working in Criminal Justice Settings: Christina Love November 20, 2018 | | SAMHSA's GAINS Center Christina Love is Training Project Specialist with the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault My name is Christina Love. I am Alutiiq/Sugpiaq (Aleut) and a trauma survivor who has experienced co-occurring mental and substance use disorders. I currently work as a specialist on intersectionality for Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault,… Read More
Q&A with Police Chief Brandon del Pozo, Burlington, Vermont November 19, 2018 | Announcements | SAMHSA's GAINS Center Question 1 In your response to the obituary of Maddie Linsenmeir, you list 12 strategies that communities can use to lower the number of fatal overdoses and addiction-related deaths. Many of the strategies you mention relate to public health/medicine. Question 1a What do you envision as the ideal relationship between law enforcement and public health… Read More
Point-of-service Information Sharing Between Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health Partners: Addressing Common Misconceptions October 29, 2018 | Announcements | SAMHSA's GAINS Center By Melissa Reuland Information sharing across behavioral health and criminal justice systems is critical to reducing the number of people with mental and substance use disorders in jails. At the point of service, the availability of information related to the person’s treatment history and condition can enhance safety, improve the individual’s health, and support recovery… Read More
Q&A With Najja Morris, National Support Bureau Director, LEAD October 29, 2018 | Announcements | SAMHSA's GAINS Center Tell us about your work with Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD). What does a typical week look like? Who are the people and organizations you work with regularly? My work at LEAD consists of overseeing all activities related to the National Support Bureau’s effort to support replication nationally through technical assistance and advice. We do… Read More
Creating Disparity Impact Statements to Optimize Early Diversion in Reducing Disparities October 29, 2018 | | SAMHSA's GAINS Center Why Disparity Impact Statements Matter Across behavioral health and criminal justice systems, there are well documented disparities in services for and poorer outcomes among groups of different cultures or ethnic backgrounds, genders, and sexual orientations. To address these problems, it is important that agencies and institutions clearly understand the groups they serve and develop strategies… Read More
PRA Announces 2018 Partnership with IPH in Regional Food Bank Adopt-A-Program October 15, 2018 | Announcements | Holley Davis Policy Research Associates, Inc. (PRA) is proud to announce that it is partnering again with Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless (IPH) in this year’s Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York’s Adopt-A-Program. PRA’s donation match will support IPH’s efforts in serving individuals and families experiencing or at-risk of homelessness in the Capital Region. PRA will… Read More
Spotlight on Peers Working in Criminal Justice Settings: Reintegration, Family, and Peer Support September 17, 2018 | | SAMHSA's GAINS Center By Kevin Cleare, Peer Support Implementation Coordinator at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene I came home from prison in 2007 with the assistance of a peer organization that developed a relationship with me while I was incarcerated. The organization, called Hands Across Long Island (HALI), employs peers with lived experience… Read More
Racial and Ethnic Disparities at the Intersection of Behavioral Health and Criminal Justice: A Message to Communities September 17, 2018 | | SAMHSA's GAINS Center In April 2018, SAMHSA’s GAINS Center convened a Best Practices Implementation Academy for local behavioral health, law enforcement, and criminal justice teams focused on reducing justice involvement among people with mental and substance use disorders. One plenary of the conference focused on considering racial and ethnic disparities in local strategic planning efforts. James Bell, founder… Read More
Mississippi Department of Corrections SOARs at East Mississippi Correctional Facility August 13, 2018 | | SAMHSA's GAINS Center In January 2018, as part of the response to recent legislation in Mississippi, House Bill 585, which mandates that the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) provide benefits assistance to individuals preparing to be released from incarceration, MDOC applied for and received the SAMHSA SOAR Technical Assistance grant offered to criminal justice agencies. On May 31,… Read More
Spotlight on Peers Working in Criminal Justice Settings: MISSION-CJ August 13, 2018 | | SAMHSA's GAINS Center By Ayorkor Gaba, David Smelson, Debra A. Pinals, Kelsey Clary, & Idella Sanders-Jones Joe* smiles ear to ear as he receives his graduation certificate from his treatment court team, which includes his MISSION Peer Support Specialist and Case Manager. He humbly explains to the group in attendance that this was his first time graduating anything… Read More
Grand Lake Mental Health Center’s Use of Mobile Technology to Increase Access August 13, 2018 | | SAMHSA's GAINS Center By Josh Cantwell, LCSW, PRSS, Clinical Director of Special Programs, Grand Lake Mental Health Center, Inc. In 2015, over 1,100 of the people served at Grand Lake Mental Health Center (GLMHC) were admitted to the hospital for psychiatric services. Many of these episodes involved a law enforcement officer waiting in the emergency room (ER) instead… Read More
PRA Receives Silver-Level Recognition in AHA’s Workplace Health Achievement Index August 9, 2018 | | Rocco Farano For the third year in a row, Policy Research Associates, Inc. has been recognized by the American Heart Association (AHA) in its annual Workplace Health Achievement Index. By embedding a culture of health and wellness in the office, PRA was able to surpass its previous bronze-level awards to achieve silver-level recognition this year! New in… Read More
