In September 2019, stakeholders and service providers from around Washington State came together at a summit to discuss the diversion of people with mental illness from the criminal legal system. These diversion service providers are funded through A.B. v. D.S.H.S. (Trueblood). This class-action lawsuit enforces a person’s constitutional right to timely competence evaluation and restoration services in a criminal case.

As part of the settlement, PRA was engaged to assist the Trueblood Court Monitor’s Office, the Trueblood Workgroup, and other key stakeholders. Among other efforts in this engagement, PRA facilitated September’s Trueblood Diversion Services Summit. To share the lessons learned, promising practices, and recommendations stemming from this event, PRA has created a suite of seven videos.

The seven videos cover the following topics:

  • Trueblood Diversion Services Summit: 2019 Recap—An overview of the subject-matter experts, presenters, themes, and programs highlighted at the Trueblood Diversion Services Summit.
  • Implementing Community-Based Restoration—A plenary presentation by Debra Pinals, Ph.D., that examines the competence to stand trial/competence restoration system and possible methods for diversion to community-based services across all intercepts of the Sequential Intercept Model.
  • Peers & Class Members Panel Discussion—During this panel discussion, Trueblood peers and class members provided their perspective on the competence restoration system, their personal experiences with the criminal justice and treatment systems, and recommendations to the assembled diversion programs.
  • Peer Interviews (shortened and long-form versions)—These two videos, one shortened, one full-length, provide an inside look at the valuable role peer specialists play in assisting individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
  • Class Member Interviews (shortened and long-form versions)—In these two videos, one shortened, one full-length, Trueblood class members share the importance of collaboration between the criminal justice system and the community to assist individuals with behavioral health needs effectively.