The United States Council of State Governments Justice Centre has released a new report titled Adults with Behavioral Health Needs under Correctional Supervision: A Shared Framework for Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Recovery.
The Framework is intended for use by policymakers, administrators, and service providers to support individuals with mental health and addictions conditions who are involved with the criminal justice system. It provides an evidence-based approach for prioritizing scarce resources, based on assessments of individuals’ risk of committing a future crime, and their treatment and support needs. The Framework also outlines the principles and practices of the addictions, mental health, and correctional services systems and proposes a structure for state and local agencies to build collaborative responses.
In addition, the Framework offers strategies for professionals working in the criminal justice and mental health and addictions sectors with respect to collaboration and communication on challenging issues that each sector has viewed differently, ensuring scares resources can be used efficiently, and promoting effective practices.
To access the full report, visit the Justice Centre, Council of State Governments website.