Policy and Practice February 2019

programs. Individuals will have far better quality-of-life outcomes when they have access to supportive com- munity services. Addressing the needs of individuals with behavioral health or co-occurring disorders can reduce recidivism and costs to the criminal justice system while simultaneously increasing safety and public health outcomes. Programs like the MDJ Mobile Engagement Program illus- trate how complex systems can come together for a shared purpose. Christina M. Finello, JD, PhD, is the Deputy Director of Housing and Human Services in Bucks County (PA). Reference Notes 1. Baillargeon, J., Binswanger, I.A., Penn, J.V., Williams, B.A., & Murray, O.J. criminal justice system while simultaneously increasing safety and public health outcomes. Addressing the needs of individuals with behavioral health or co-occurring disorders can reduce recidivism and costs to the

appearance who handle criminal matters up to the preliminary hearing, along with other matters under their purview. These judges articulated a lack of resources and options for this population at the initial detention stage, right after arrest. They docu- mented the need for a new program that allowed individuals an earlier opportunity to link with community- based services. Working directly with these judges’ real-world experiences enhanced the process and program implementation. The MDJ Mobile Engagement is a program that can be used, when appropriate, by MDJs, as a condition of bail or as an alternative adjudication program for a summary offense when issues of behavioral health or co-occurring disorders are suspected. The Mobile Engagement team from the county’s licensed provider of crisis services, the Lenape Valley Foundation, connects with the individual, assesses the person, recommends treatment, and reports compliance back to the MDJ. It is a voluntary program—the MDJ makes the referral—but individuals have to accept the conditions of the program or choose to follow traditional criminal processing of their case. However, if someone accepts the program, he or she is apprised of what compliance means, such as communicating with the mobile team at specified intervals, engaging in recommended treatment, and appearing at all meetings, appoint- ments, and hearings. Releases of information are signed. The majority of the county’s jail population is on a pre-trial status. The MDJ Mobile Engagement Program allows people to stay out of jail while awaiting trial, when appropriate and with proper supports, thereby allevi- ating the jail population. The program has a very low recidivism rate, and has shown a significant decrease in repeat appearances in front of the MDJ. As a result, there have been significant increases in diversion options and connections to community-based treat- ment and kept appointments. Concerted problem-solving with a common goal in mind leads to produc- tive multisystem collaboration and integration. Differing agendas can be brought together to create robust

(2009) Psychiatric disorders and repeat incarcerations: The revolving prison door. American Journal of Psychiatry, 166 (1). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi. ajp.2008.08030416 Baillargeon, J., Penn, J.V., Knight, K., Harzke, A.J., Baillargeon, G., & Becker, E.A. (2010). Risk of reincarceration among prisoners with co-occurring severe mental illness and substance use disorders. Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 37. https://doi.org/10.1007/ s10488-009-0252-9 2. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2015). Municipal courts: An effective tool for diverting people with mental and substance use disorders from the criminal justice system. HHS Publication No. (SMA)-15-4929. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 3. Munetz, M.R. & Griffin, P.A. (2006). Use of the Sequential Intercept Model as an approach to decriminalization of people with serious mental illness. Psychiatric Services 57 (4), 544–549. https://doi. org/10.1176/ps.2006.57.4.544 4. Policy Research Associates. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.prainc.com/ wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Intercept-0- Infographic-2.pdf 5. Human Services Subcommittee. (2016). Addressing overcrowding at the Bucks County Correctional Facility: Report and recommendations from the Human Services Subcommittee of the Bucks County Criminal Justice Advisory Board. Doylestown, PA: Bucks County Human Services. Intercept 0: Expanding the Sequential Intercept Model to prevent criminal justice involvement [Infographic].

February 2019 Policy&Practice 31