Do timely mental health services reduce re‐incarceration among prison releasees with severe mental illness?

Abstract

Objective To examine whether the receipt of timely mental health services is associated with changes in criminal justice interactions. Data Sources We used linked administrative data from Medicaid, mental health, and criminal justice settings in Washington State for persons with severe mental illness released from prison (n = 3086). Study Design We estimate local and average treatment effects to examine measures of criminal justice use in the year following release as a function of timely mental health services. Data Extraction Methods Measures of timely service and criminal justice use within 12 months postrelease were created from administrative data. Principal Findings Individuals receiving timely mental health services are more likely to experience prison re‐incarceration overall and specifically for technical violations 12 months postrelease. The effect of service receipt on incarceration for new charges was negative but not significant. Conclusions The finding that mental health services receipt is associated with increased risk of re‐incarceration due to technical violations speaks to the complexity of the relationship between mental health and criminal justice services for justice‐involved persons with severe mental illness. Further research should examine strategies at the interface of criminal justice and mental health that can improve mental health and criminal justice outcomes for this vulnerable population.

Criminal Justice Involvement after Release from Prison following Exposure to Community Mental Health Services among People Who Use Illicit Drugs and Have Mental Illness: a Systematic Review

“… Linked data to county criminal justice information systems containing information about all individuals in contact with criminal justice. Domino et al (2019) [ 35 ] USA 2006–2007 12 months Retrospective cohort; N =3086 ( n =871, referral group; n =2215, non-referral group) All adults with severe mental illness who were released from prison during the first two years of an expedited Medicaid policy 57% in the referral group and 53% in the non-referral group had alcohol or drug use disorder. Medicaid funded inpatient and outpatient mental health services vs. standard public mental health services (linked data).…”

“…Specific criminal justice outcomes varied. Six studies reported reimprisonment [ 36 , 37 , 39 , 44 , 46 ], three studies reported re-arrest [ 34 , 38 , 40 ], two studies reported recidivism [ 41 , 43 ], one study reported reconviction [ 45 ], and two studies reported both re-arrest and reimprisonment [ 35 , 42 ]. Measurement of primary outcomes also varied, including analysing associations of criminal justice involvement following exposure to community mental health services after controlling for covariates [ 34 , 35 , 38 , 39 , 44 ], measuring rates of criminal justice involvement [ 40 , 42 , 43 ], reporting time-to-event of criminal justice involvement [ 42 , 45 , 46 ], measuring the timing and frequency of criminal justice involvement following exposure to community mental health services [ 41 ], and the number of days spent in prison following exposure to community mental health services (Table 1 ) [ 44 ].…”

Multimorbidity and quality of primary care after release from prison: a prospective data-linkage cohort study

“…Consistent with the literature [31], we also found that the burden of psychiatric illness in this cohort was substantial, especially for females. Previous research has highlighted the benefits of targeted support for people with serious mental illness transitioning from prison to the community [32], given that this group is also typically at higher risk of reincarceration [33].…”

Association Mining Between Ideological and Political Teaching and Mental Health

“…(4) Adaptability factors. When students get access to the campus, they are prone to psychological imbalance in the face of new living environment and learning style, further causing mental dysfunctions (Domino, Gertner, Grabert et al, 2019).…”