![]() Some communities have much higher levels of stigma around behavioral health needs … so knowing what is going on in that community and what the temperature is for different types of reentry services is critical,” Comartin said.įormer Ohio State Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Stratton, J.D., offered pointers for pulling together and implementing programs for people with mental or substance use disorders who are in the criminal justice system, using the Ohio Project’s Stepping Up Initiative as an example. ![]() “Also take stock of what the attitudes are in the community. “You want to make sure that the treatments so the individual can actually do and participate in them.” “The idea is that you focus on the highest risk population and tailor treatment services in ways that are amenable to them,” Comartin said. Of those who did not receive discharge planning services, 62% were in jail for more than four days, signifying a missed opportunity.Ĭomartin said there was a significant link between discharge planning and the likelihood of a person receiving care upon leaving the jail: 53% of those who received discharge planning engaged in post-release mental health treatment, compared with 39% who did not receive discharge planning.Ĭomartin added that when people move back into their communities, the services available to them should be targeted to their needs. She described a study in Michigan wherein the researchers found that only 37% of individuals who had serious mental illness and were reentering their communities from a jail had received discharge planning services. Yet whether a person is reentering the community from a prison or jail, “the goal of reentry is to return the individual to the community with no further offenses and with successful illness management and recovery,” Comartin said. Comartin differentiated between prisons, which include longer lengths of stay but are more amenable to planned reentry to the community, and jails, which have shorter lengths of stay that make reentry planning more difficult. She encouraged jail-based discharge planning wherein a health or mental health professional provides services such as setting appointments and making referrals, offers resource sheets, or holds individual or group meetings. She currently serves as the co-chair of IACP’s Research Advisory Committee and as a consultant on police training for the Ohio Attorney General.Erin Comartin, Ph.D., L.M.S.W., an associate professor at the Wayne State University School of Social Work, discussed the importance of discharge planning for people who are exiting the criminal justice system and reentering their communities. Additionally, she has published over 60 research articles, books, and chapters, along with dozens of technical reports for practitioners, and has been ranked among top academics, and the number one woman in the field of criminal justice/criminology based on publications in prestigious peer-reviewed journals. She has served as principal investigator for over 80 research grants, totaling over $22 million. Robin engages in policy research and evaluation, with expertise in empirical assessments of police behavior, police-community relations, and crime reduction strategies. She formerly served as UC’s vice president for safety and reform. Engel, PhD, is Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Cincinnati (UC) and Director of the International Association of Chiefs of Police/UC Center for Police Research and Policy. Robin Engel, PhD, Director, International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) / UC Center for Police Research & Policy
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