Research
Explore our library of research products including academic publications, reports on research and outcomes, policy briefs, videos of webinars, animations, and more. Research products are organized by initiative and/or by type, with the most recent items at the top of the list. Search by topic with the search bar at the top of the page.
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October 2021Fall 2021 NewsletterComprehensive report illuminates gaps in Michigan’s criminal legal data and offers a roadmap to data integration; naloxone vending machines make life-saving medication available in jails and communities; Monroe and Jackson OTE in Jail programs are certified; CBHJ welcomes new staff and relocates to the School of Social Work building; and more.DiversionReentryTreatment ecosystemsYouth justiceWayne County jail/mental health initiativeNewsletter -
September 2021Activity across the sequential intercept model and diversion program outcomesFrom 2015 – 2020, ten jail diversion pilot programs were funded across Michigan by the Mental Health Diversion Council and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to improve response to individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) involved in the local criminal/legal system. This report summarizes the highlights of the aggregate presentation delivered to the Mental Health Diversion Council in July and reviews recommended practices to improve jail diversion across intercepts of the sequential intercept model.DiversionReport
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September 2021Activity across the sequential intercept model and diversion program outcomesThe Center for Behavioral Health and Justice, under the leadership of principal investigators Sheryl Kubiak, Ph.D., and Erin Comartin, Ph.D., engaged the pilot counties in a system evaluation to identify and measure interventions across intercepts 1 – 5 of the Sequential Intercept Model. The system evaluation, which began in 2017, followed an implementation evaluation in 2015, as well as short- and long-term evaluation of the pilots in 2016 and 2017. The system evaluation consisted of two cohorts, Cohorts 2017 and 2019, both with two stages. The final aggregate report of Cohort 2019 Stage 2 was presented to the Mental Health Diversion Council on July 13, 2021. In addition, final county-level reports were presented to all ten pilot counties between June and July of 2021. This report summarizes the highlights of the aggregate presentation delivered to the Mental Health Diversion Council in July.DiversionReport -
July 2021Lost in Transition: The Behavioral Health Needs of Veterans in Eight County JailsIn a booking sample across eight jails, this evaluative, cross-sectional study compared veterans to non-veterans by demographics, criminal/legal outcomes, behavioral health needs, and receipt of jail-based behavioral health and discharge planning services. Veterans were more likely to be male, older, to have received mental health services prior to their jail stay, and to misuse alcohol. They are less likely to have insecure housing and misuse drugs. No differences existed for length of stay in jail nor recidivism. Veterans were equally likely to receive jail-based behavioral health services, but less likely to receive discharge planning services. Practitioners in the criminal/legal and mental health systems need to collaborate and develop processes that successfully identify and link veterans to culturally-appropriate services.DiversionPublication
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June 2021Gender, geography, and justice: behavioral health needs and mental health service use among women in rural jailsThis multi-jail study examines the behavioral health needs and service use in a sample of 3,787 individuals in jail, to compare women in rural jails to their gender and geography counterparts (rural men, urban women and urban men). Compared to urban women, rural men, and urban men, rural women had significantly higher odds of serious mental illness and co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Rural woman were nearly 30 times more likely to receive jail-based mental health services; however, a discrepancy between screened mental health need and jail-identified mental health need shows rural women are severely under-identified compared to their gender/geography counterparts. These findings suggest the need to improve behavioral health identification methods.DiversionPublication
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May 2021Decarceration as a strategy to mitigate the spread of COVID-19This Community of Practice (CoP) brings together experts to discuss the need to reduce populations to mitigate COVID-19 in jail settings and practical strategies that jails can use to implement decarceration as a strategy. Beth Huebner, Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and an expert in correctional reform, joins Director Douglas Burris and Miranda Gibson. Together, they discuss their successful efforts to use a systematic case review process to reduce the jail population in the St. Louis County Department of Justice Services to assist mitigating the spread of COVID-19 among staff and detainees. The May event also provided an opportunity to continue engaging in dialogue around vaccines, including but not limited to strategies to consider when offering the vaccine to those who are justice-involved.DiversionVideo
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May 2021Assessing county-level behavioral health and justice systems with the SIMPLE scorecardThis webinar describes the Sequential Intercept Model Practices, Leadership, and Expertise (SIMPLE) Scorecard’s development, significant findings and potential to direct county-level strategic planning to improve behavioral health and justice systems. The Sequential Intercept Model has been widely used to identify and conceptualize interventions for people with serious mental illness in the criminal legal system. Researchers at Wayne State University School of Social Work’s Center for Behavioral Health and Justice designed the SIMPLE scorecard to assess behavioral health and legal policies/practices and to compare county systems over time. Improvements in pre-booking SIMPLE score points showed a reduction in the prevalence of serious mental illness among those booking into county jails.DiversionVideo
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May 2021Sequential Intercept Model Practices, Leadership and Expertise (SIMPLE) ScorecardThe Center for Behavioral Health and Justice created the SIMPLE (Sequential Intercept Model Practices Leadership, and Expertise) Scorecard to assess county-level behavioral health and justice collaborations. The scorecard could be used as an evidence-based strategic planning tool to drive behavioral health and criminal legal system change at a county level. Fifteen counties across Michigan were analyzed on a 36-point scale to measure best, promising, and evidence-based practices implemented by each county across each intercept of the sequential intercept model, their leadership and their expertise.DiversionScorecard
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May 2021Assessing county-level behavioral health and justice systems with the SIMPLE scorecardThis webinar will describe the Sequential Intercept Model Practices, Leadership, and Expertise (SIMPLE) Scorecard’s development, significant findings, and potential to direct county-level strategic planning to improve behavioral health and justice systems.DiversionVideo
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April 2021COVID-19 communications, preparedness and mitigation: Addressing the infodemic and pandemicThis Community of Practice (CoP) brought diverse champions to the table to provide an overview of effective public health communication and educational strategies across multiple populations: criminal-legal staff, those justice-involved and the community. The event also provided an opportunity to continue engaging in dialogue around the topics discussed and vaccines, including but not limited to strategies to consider when offering the vaccine to those who are justice-involved.DiversionVideo
