Advisory Board

The Center for Behavioral Health and Justice advisory board consists of accomplished experts in the areas of criminal justice, law enforcement, and behavioral and physical health. The advisory board meets in person throughout the year to review accomplishments and priorities of the CBHJ, to provide support and assistance to the center's director and staff, and to provide strategic guidance and advice on issues of impact to efforts across the state to divert individuals with mental health and substance use disorders from the criminal/legal system to appropriate treatment. 

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS:

Wayne State University - Carmen McIntyre, M.D., Associate Department Chair, School of Medicine Psychiatry

Dr. Carmen McIntyre serves as Associate Department Chair for Psychiatry at the School of Medicine at Wayne State University, and as the Chief Medical Officer under an innovative partnership between WSU and Michigan Department of Corrections, Dr. McIntyre also previously served as medical director for the Detroit Wayne Health Authority where her work included jail diversion programming and navigating various systems of care for individuals in the criminal justice system in need of medical attention. Her current positions at WSU and MDOC provide her with the opportunity to support students by expanding clinical rotations to prison sites and the complex needs of inmates and to provide the department of corrections with an entire network of doctors, nurses, social workers, and psychiatrists offered by the university. This level of collaboration will result in a new standard of care for correctional health care in Michigan and across the county.  

Michigan State University Jennifer E. Johnson, PhD, Professor and C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health, College of Human Medicine Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology and Division of Public Health

Johnson is Principal Investigator of the 'SPIRIT' study, jointly funded by NIJ and NIMH, focused on prevention of suicide by individuals exiting jail. Johnson was helpful in conceptualizing the center of excellence, with a particular focus on leading communities to engage in rigorous intervention studies using randomized control trials.

University of Michigan John Piette, PhD, MS, Professor of Global Public Health and Director of the Center for Managing Chronic Disease, University of Michigan; Senior Department of Veterans Affairs Research Career Scientist

Piette's research focuses on developing and evaluating novel strategies for using mobile health technology to improve the accessibility and quality of care for patients with chronic conditions, including behavioral health and mental health challenges. His current work includes a focus on the use of accessible messaging systems (texting and automated calls) to improve the quality of life and outcomes of people with alcohol use disorders, opioid use disorders, suicidality, and depression.  Dr. Piette has been a volunteer in Michigan jails and prisons for more than two years.

National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI) Michigan - Kevin Fischer, Executive Director

Kevin Fischer has served as the Executive Director for Michigan's NAMI Organization for the past six years. Fischer provides direction and leadership toward the achievement of the organization's mission, philosophy, strategy, annual goals and objectives. NAMI Michigan and its affiliates are dedicated to the improvement of the quality of life for persons, families, and others, who are affected by mental illness, including children with serious emotional disorders, through support, education, advocacy and research. 

University of Massachusetts David Smelson, PsyD, Vice-Chair of Clinical Research, Department of Psychiatry Division of Addiction Psychiatry

University of Massachusetts Ayorkor Gaba, PsyD, Senior Director, Medical School Department of Psychiatry

Smelson and Gaba are collaborating partners on the MI-Reentry initiative at the center. Smelson and Dr. Debra Pinals were authors of the MISSION model of reentry support for those with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.