Highlighting best practices for systemic change
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
East Lansing, Michigan
Brought to you by the Michigan Mental Health Diversion Council and the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice
Event program Presentation slides
The Mental Health Diversion Council Intervention Initiatives Summit, hosted by the Mental Health Diversion Council in partnership with Wayne State University’s Center for Behavioral Health and Justice, will take place on Thursday, September 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Graduate in East Lansing, Michigan.
This one-day summit brings together thought leaders, practitioners, and advocates dedicated to advancing best practices in mental health diversion and systemic evolution. Today, we will explore a range of innovative initiatives, including assisted outpatient treatment, juvenile justice, behavioral law enforcement training, crisis response, diversion intervention through boundary spanners, and more. These initiatives are all interconnected through the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM), which will be a central theme of today’s discussions and presentations.
- Michigan Mental Health Diversion Council
- Milton L. Mack (Chair)
Represents the State Court Administrative Office - Debra Pinals
Designee of the Department of Health and Human Services - Marti Kay Sherry
Represents the Department of Corrections - Christopher Becker
Represents prosecutors - Timothy Smith
Represents court administrators - Kevin Fischer
Represents advocates of consumer representatives - JoLynn Clark
Represents school systems - James Samuals
Represents licensed attorneys
- Gabrielle Dresner
Represents advocates of consumer representatives on juvenile justice issues - Holly Force
Designee of the Department of Health and Human Services - Carlynn Nichols
Represents juvenile mental health treatment practitioners - Steve Kempker
Represents County Sheriffs - Jessica Taylor
Represents community prisoner or jail re-entry - Bradley Casemore
Represents adult service agencies and/or providers from a local community mental health service programs - Sara Spencer-Noggle
Represents the judiciary - Steven Mays
Division Administrator, MHDC Liaison
- Milton L. Mack (Chair)
Agenda
- 9:00 a.m. Welcome with Steven Mays
Steven Mays
maysS1@michigan.gov
Diversion Administrator, Michigan Department of Health and Human ServicesSteven Mays was hired by Genesee Health System (formally Genesee County Community Mental Health) in 1992 and for 21 years worked in several clinical positions, most recently as clinical liaison working specifically with law enforcement, hospitals and the court system that designed and implemented Michigan’s first adult Mental Health Court. As Diversion Administrator with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for the past decade, Mays works as the Liaison to the Governor’s Mental Health Diversion Council and consults in devising and implementing strategic diversion/deflection goals, gathers statewide leadership to convene in formulating legislative language designed to help divert persons with mental illness from jails and in to treatment on a statewide basis and acts as a boundary spanner connecting agencies across the state to assist with common goals and diversion initiatives.
- 9:10 a.m. Diversion Council Initiative Updates with Dr. Debra Pinals
Dr. Debra Pinals
PinalsD@michigan.gov
Medical Director, Behavioral Health and Forensic Programs, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services; Director of the Program in Psychiatry, Law, & Ethics and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School; Clinical Adjunct Professor, University of Michigan Law SchoolDr. Debra Pinals has worked in outpatient, inpatient settings, forensic and correctional facilities, emergency rooms and court clinics, has received public service awards and has been an expert witness in many cases. She is Board Certified in Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine. During her career she has been a clinical policy advisor related to the opioid crisis and has consulted on complex systems cases for people with mental illness, substance use disorder, and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities who are receiving treatment or support in various places- such as in community, court, carceral, forensic and state hospital settings. Dr. Pinals was appointed as the Assistant Commissioner of Forensic Services from 2008 to 2016, overseeing work for persons with serious mental illness at the intersection of police, courts and correctional services, and also was appointed Interim State Medical Director from 2012-2013 for the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. She teaches and publishes extensively and has led and consulted on numerous federal grants including those related to opioids, co-occurring disorders, juvenile justice, and behavioral health and justice partnerships. Recently she has been a lead subject matter expert on issues pertaining to competence to stand trial for the SAMHSA GAINS Center. She conducts work as an expert witness and subject matter expert across the country. She is a past President of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, past Chair of the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Psychiatry and the Law and Council on Advocacy and Government Relations, as well as past Chair of the Forensic Division and current Chair of the Medical Directors Division for NASMHPD. In her work with NASMHPD she has co-authored key policy papers including “Beyond Beds: The Vital Role of a Full Continuum of Psychiatric Care” and “Crisis Services, Meeting Needs, Saving Lives.”
- 9:30 a.m. Best Practices in Data and the Sequential Intercept Model with Sheryl Kubiak and Liz Tillander
Sheryl Kubiak
spk@wayne.edu
Director, Center for Behavioral Health and Justice; Dean and Professor, Wayne State University School of Social Work DeanSheryl Kubiak’s interest in the intersections between criminal/legal systems and behavioral health began 30 years ago when she developed and administered a long-term residential re-entry program in Detroit for pregnant women addicted to crack cocaine. Since then, Dean Kubiak has received funding from national (NIMH, NSF, NIDA) and state (MDOC, MDHHS) government, as well as foundations (i.e., Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Skillman, Flinn) to research and evaluate projects such as substance abuse treatment within prisons, mental health courts, and integrated substance abuse and mental health treatment for those involved in the legal system. Professional contributions include involvement as a member of peer review panels for National Institute of Mental Health and Fulbright Awards. Currently, she is the PI on a cross-site evaluation of pilot diversion programs statewide (Michigan Mental Health Diversion Council) and a prison reentry project for those with opioid addictions. Dean Kubiak has served as a gubernatorial appointee to the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration and the state’s Criminal Justice Policy Commission.
Liz Tillander
liz.tillander@wayne.edu
Deputy Director, Center for Behavioral Health and JusticeTillander has served as project director for Dean Sheryl Kubiak on several local, state, and national evaluation projects since 2008. After nearly 19 years in the business field, she was motivated by an interest in social justice and the desire to stem the cycle of incarceration for marginalized women and men to pursue a degree in social work. Building upon her business career, she brings a wealth of experience in networking and collaboration, outcome measurement and evaluation, program and staff development, finance and administrative management, and data-driven solutions to the field of social work.
- 10:30 am: Break
- 10:40 am: Juvenile Justice with Holly Force and Soleil Campbell
Holly Force
ForceH@michigan.gov
Director of Juvenile Justice Division, Michigan Department of Health and Human ServicesForce has over 15 years of experience working in the Human Services Field. She began working as a Court Liaison/Representative for a Private Child Caring Institute, then worked almost four years at a Private Child Placing Agency, prior to joining the Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) in 2013 in Berrien County. During this time, she served in various positions including Foster Care Case Manager, Juvenile Justice Specialist, Foster Care/Juvenile Justice Supervisor, and most recently Children Services Program Manager.
Force has always had an interest in Criminal Justice (CJ), dating back to when she was in high school in which she completed her entry level CJ college courses and attended the Michigan State Policy Academy for Youth ages 16-18. She double interned with Youth Offender Transitional Program (YOTP) located in Kalamazoo, Michigan and continues to take an innovate approach towards Juvenile Justice youth, families, and programs.
Force prides herself on her hard work and ability to learn new tasks with ease. She is never afraid of a challenge and faces difficult situations with a smile on her face. Holly obtained a master's degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Sociology, with a minor in Social Work from Western Michigan University.
Soleil Campbell
CampbellS6@michigan.gov
Justice Policy, Systems and Assignments Manager, MDHHS; Manager, Juvenile Justice Program Office & PREA Juvenile Coordinator Mental Health Diversion Council; MDHHS juvenile justice appointee '14-’24With over 24 years of experience in juvenile justice and child welfare, Soleil Campbell manages the Juvenile Justice Assignment Unit, responsible for the residential placement of youth, and oversees training for juvenile forensic mental health examiners and stakeholders in the juvenile competency evaluation process. She also provides leadership to ensure compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) in state-run and private, contracted residential facilities. Additionally, she supervises the training for the Michigan Juvenile Justice Assessment System and manages grants for initiatives led by the Mental Health Diversion Council and MDHHS.
- 11:10 am: Assistant Outpatient Treatment with Jenny Kimmel
Jenny Kimmel
jennykimmel520@gmail.com
AOT Supervisor, Genesee Health SystemJenny Kimmel is a social worker with over 14 years of experience working in various community mental health organizations. She has worked with children and adults with severe emotional disturbance, mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders. Kimmel has a passion for helping individuals with severe and persistent mental illness and diverting at risk individuals into outpatient treatment rather than hospitalization or incarceration. She has been working with individuals on AOT orders since 2017, with exclusively working with individuals on AOT orders since 2020. She works at Genesee Health System as the AOT Program Supervisor, which is a program that was created in 2020 after GHS received a SAMHSA grant.
Kimmel is an advocate for individuals with mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders within our Judicial System. She is an active member of the Behavioral Health Improvements Workgroup for the Michigan Judicial Council. She has a wealth of knowledge in working with community stakeholders, courts, and CMHs regarding AOT orders and has successfully built infrastructures that support an AOT Program. She enjoys sharing her expertise with other individuals to support them in developing AOT Programs throughout Michigan.
- 12:00 pm: Lunch
- 1:00 pm: Law Enforcement Training with Rachel Hammer and Kevin Fischer
Rachel Hammer Coy
CoyR@michigan.gov
Human Resource Developer working with Academy Training Curriculum and Standards for the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES)Prior to her current role, Rachel Hammer Coy worked as Behavioral Health Response Training Coordinator for MCOLES, during which time the Behavioral Health Emergency Partnership (BHEP) program became mandatory training in all 21 of the basic law enforcement training academies. To date, BHEP has been taught to over 1,800 law enforcement professionals and metal health practitioners across the State of Michigan.
Coy has over 20 years as a law enforcement professional where she held positions ranging from patrol officer to patrol supervisor and from hostage negotiation team member to Crisis Intervention Training Instructor. She finished her active law enforcement career as a Patrol Sergeant for the Harrisonburg Police Department in Harrisonburg, VA before moving to Michigan to in 2020. Prior to starting at MCOLES, Coy completed work to earn her master’s degree in public administration and public policy from the University of Michigan - Dearborn.
Coy is also a military police corps veteran with over 24 years of service. She is currently serving as a Sergeant Major (E-9) in the United States Army Reserve. She is also the proud wife of a Michigan State Police Lieutenant and stepmother of two teenage daughters.
Kevin Fischer
KFischer@namimi.org
Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness MichiganKevin Fischer is the Executive Director of NAMI Michigan. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. A retired businessman, Fischer joined NAMI as a volunteer in 2011 after his oldest son Dominique was diagnosed with a mental illness in late 2007 and was lost to suicide in 2010.
A mental health and suicide prevention advocate, Fischer is the founder and Director of The Dominique Fischer Memorial Foundation, serves on the Board of Directors of several behavioral health organizations throughout Michigan, including Governor Whitmer’s Suicide Prevention Commission, the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) Mental Health Diversion Council and Behavioral Health Advisory Council (BHAC), Disability Rights Michigan’s (DRM) Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) Advisory Board, and is a member of the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) International Board of Directors. Quoted as saying “this is his last job; his last fight,” Fischer is dedicated to eliminating the stigma of mental illness, which he considers the leading barrier to the early diagnoses and treatment, which leads to better outcomes for all.
- 2:00 pm: Crisis Response with Krista Hausermann
Krista Hausermann
khauserman@michigan.gov
Crisis Stabilization Services Section Manager, MDHHS Behavioral and Physical Health and Aging Services AdminstrationKrista Hausermann is the Crisis and Stabilization Services Section Manager at MDHHS Behavioral and Physical Health and Aging Services Administration where her role is to coordinate the development of a comprehensive crisis system for all Michiganders. Primary projects include Michigan Crisis and Access Line, 988; Crisis Stabilization Unit Certification; adult mobile crisis, Certified Crisis Professional training, MiSMART – standardized Medical Clearance Protocol; and Psychiatric Bed Registry. She has a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan as well as a certificate of Integrated Health Care. Hausermann has over 20 years of experience working for Community Mental Health Service Programs as a clinician, collaborative coordinator, clinical supervisor, and program manager. She has over seven years’ experience working on behavioral health projects at the state level.
- 2:50 pm: Break
- 3:00 pm: Boundary Spanners with Steven Mays and Meghan Taft Steven Mays
MaysS1@michigan.gov
Diversion Administrator, Michigan Department of Health and Human ServicesSteven Mays was hired by Genesee Health System (formally Genesee County Community Mental Health) in 1992 and for 21 years worked in several clinical positions, most recently as clinical liaison working specifically with law enforcement, hospitals and the court system that designed and implemented Michigan’s first adult Mental Health Court. As Diversion Administrator with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for the past decade, Mays works as the Liaison to the Governor’s Mental Health Diversion Council and consults in devising and implementing strategic diversion/deflection goals, gathers statewide leadership to convene in formulating legislative language designed to help divert persons with mental illness from jails and in to treatment on a statewide basis and acts as a boundary spanner connecting agencies across the state to assist with common goals and diversion initiatives.
Meghan Taft
mtaft@wayne.edu
Behavioral Health Crisis Response Training Program Manager, Wayne State University School of Social WorkMeghan Taft joined Wayne State University's School of Social Work (SSW) in January 2024. Prior to joining the SSW, she worked for a Community Mental Health organization where she supervised a jail services team, community outreach efforts, crisis services and a Crisis Intervention Team program. In addition, she currently serves as a member of the Calhoun County hostage negotiator team. She was a previous CIT-International Board member and is current Board member of Oaklawn Hospital.
- 3:40 pm: Closing with Hon. Milton Mack
Hon. Milton Mack
mackm@courts.mi.gov
Chair, Michigan Mental Health Diversion Council Administrator Emeritus, State Court Administrative OfficeCurrently serving as State Court Administrator Emeritus, Judge Mack served as State Court Administrator from 2015 to 2020. He previously served as a judge for the Wayne County Probate Court from 1990 to 2015 and as Chief Judge from 1998 to 2015. He served as Co-Chair of the National Initiative Advisory Committee to improve the justice system response to those with mental illness and currently serves on the National Task Force to Examine State Courts' Response to Mental Illness. Judge Mack currently serves as Chair of the Michigan Mental Health Diversion Council. He also served on Governor Granholm's Michigan Mental Health Commission in 2004, the Michigan Partners in Crisis Public Policy Committee and the Michigan Supreme Court Guardianship Task Force. Judge Mack is the principle author of COSCA's 2016-2017 Policy Paper: Decriminalization of Mental Illness: Fixing a Broken System. He also wrote Involuntary Treatment for the 21st Century published in the Quinnipiac Probate Law Journal in 2008. In 2017, he received the Snyder-Kok Award from the Mental Health Association in Michigan, was named Judge of the Year by the Michigan Guardianship Association and Advocate of the Year by NAMI Michigan.
The Sequential Intercept Model
The Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) was developed over several years as a conceptual model to inform community-based responses to the involvement of people with mental and substance use disorders in the criminal justice system.
The SIM is most effective when used as a community strategic planning tool to assess available resources, determine gaps in services, and plan for community change. These activities are best accomplished by a team of stakeholders that cross over multiple systems, including mental health, substance use, law enforcement, pretrial services, courts, jails, community corrections, housing, health, social services, people with lived experiences, family members, and many others.
Employed as a strategic planning tool, communities can use the Sequential Intercept Model to:
- Develop a comprehensive picture of how people with mental and substance use disorders flow through the criminal justice system along six distinct intercept points.
- Identify gaps, resources, and opportunities at each intercept for adults with mental and substance use disorders.
- Develop priorities for action designed to improve system and service-level responses for adults with mental and substance use disorders.