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Justice Involved Programming

Justice Involved Programs are those activities are those programs which work with those individuals who have serious mental illness and are involved in the criminal justice system. The goals of the Jail Liaison is to make sure that individuals who are incarcerated in partner facilities have access to needed mental health care while in jail and to facilitate communication and the coordination of activities between the jail and mental health systems. Embedded clinicians within law enforcement agencies can meet with victims of crime who are experiencing mental health needs as well as work with officers to better understand the needs of those we serve, and their own mental health. We also help plan for release through outcome monitoring, training and education.

In a mental health crisis, people are more likely to encounter police than get medical help. As a result, 2 million people with mental illness are booked into jails each year. Nearly 15% of men and 30% of women booked into jails have a serious mental health condition.

The vast majority of the individuals are not violent criminals—most people in jails are have not yet gone to trial, so they are not yet convicted of a crime. The rest are serving short sentences for minor crimes.

Once in jail, many individuals don't receive the treatment they need and end up getting worse, not better. They stay longer than their counterparts without mental illness. They are at risk of victimization and often their mental health conditions get worse.

After leaving jail, many no longer have access to needed healthcare and benefits. A criminal record often makes it hard for individuals to get a job or housing. Many individuals, especially without access to mental health services and supports, wind up homeless, in emergency rooms and often re-arrested. At least 83% of jail inmates with a mental illness did not have access to needed treatment.

Jailing people with mental illness creates huge burdens on law enforcement, corrections and state and local budgets. It does not protect public safety. And people who could be helped are being ignored.

Helping people get out of jail and into treatment is a top priority for us. SAMHC believes that everyone should have access to a full array of mental health services and supports in their communities to help prevent interactions with police. These supports should include treatment for drug and alcohol use conditions, and supports like housing, education, supported employment and peer and family support.

SAMHC Course of Action

Spartanburg Detention Center – SAMHC provides the service of a full-time therapist to the Spartanburg Detention Center, as well as the services of a psychiatrist using tele-psychiatry. These services are designed to make sure that individuals in detention have access to needed treatment and medication monitoring.

Spartanburg of Corrections – Through a new grant program, SAMHC is hiring staff to work with women who are being released from the Department of Corrections. This program aims to ensure that they receive the appropriate services after release and reduce the risk of recividism.

The Stepping Up Initiative – SAMHC is a partner in The Stepping Up Initiative, an exciting national campaign to challenge counties to reduce the number of people with mental illness in jails. NAMI joins other national organizations calling on counties and communities nationwide to address this problem.

Community Crisis Response and Intervention "CCRI" – SAMHC Affiliates around the country partner with local law enforcement on crisis intervention team (CIT) programs to help police recognize a mental health problem and get people to treatment. We also work on a variety of jail diversion programs, re-entry programs, and provide education and support to individuals and families at risk of involvement with the justice system.