Announcement for 06/08/10
Hillsborough County, NH, Selected for National Demonstration Site on Improving the Response to People with Mental Illnesses in the Criminal Justice System
Hillsborough County, NH, Selected for National Demonstration Site on Improving the Response to People with Mental Illnesses in the Criminal Justice System
Manchester, NH—Hillsborough County’s Department of Corrections was selected today as a national learning and technical assistance site for improving outcomes for individuals with mental illnesses in the criminal justice system. The selection was made by the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center, in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice.
"We conscientiously strive to provide the best level of mental health care possible, but we recognize that people detained in our jail are there, on average, for less than 70 days. To increase public safety and save our jail space for people who truly need to be locked up, we need to find ways for people with mental illnesses who get arrested to get sufficient and lasting mental health care in the community," said Superintendent James M. O’Mara Jr. of the Hillsborough County Department of Corrections.
CSG Justice Center staff and county leaders will explore opportunities for alternatives to incarceration, when appropriate, for individuals with mental illnesses who are at risk for justice system involvement. These options will include building on the existing Nashua mental health court that is being replicated in Manchester after receiving a 2009 grant for countywide program expansion through the federal Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program.
"We need detailed data to tell us who still needs services as we extend the reach of our mental health courts. I am confident the information gleaned from this initiative also will direct us to additional program options that can complement mental health courts," said Judge James Leary, Nashua District Court. Judge Norman Champagne of the Manchester District Court added, "The proposed data collection project will help us understand the needs of the population that we have begun to serve with the expansion of the mental health court initiative to our jurisdiction."
Justice Center staff and national experts will provide extensive technical assistance, and will help the leaders from the county’s criminal justice and behavioral health systems with developing policies that are responsive to local needs. The data collection and systems analyses will occur over approximately four months. A wide range of stakeholders will be tapped to provide feedback and direction throughout the initiative.
"County officials typically have to design a court-based program for people with mental illnesses and decide who it should serve without the benefit of precise data," said Michael Thompson, director of the Justice Center. "We chose Hillsborough County to model the sort of data collection and analysis that county officials everywhere can conduct because leaders at the local and state level in New Hampshire have demonstrated a commitment to working across criminal justice and mental health systems."Thompson cited the state’s recent passage of legislation, which aims to reduce corrections spending and increase public safety, as evidence of the state’s commitment to using data and bipartisan, consensus-based strategies to inform the design of crime policy. He also highlighted the leadership of Chief Justice John T. Broderick Jr. in helping to establish a statewide task force to tackle criminal justice and mental health issues.
"The public/private partnership that exists in New Hampshire between government and the NH Charitable Foundation, and the opportunity that presents to leverage resources for innovative crime-fighting strategies, was also a key factor in the selection of Hillsborough County as a demonstration site," Thompson said.
According to a 2009 study released by the Justice Center, individuals with serious mental illnesses are disproportionately represented in jails—with rates in excess of three to six times those found in the general population. Other research suggests these individuals stay longer and require about twice the cost in service and supervision as other inmates.
"The more information that we have about these individuals, the better. Many will eventually be coming to us for care," said Peter Janelle, executive director of the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester.
"With the relationships already established through the existing mental health court, we have a strong foundation on which to build upon here in Hillsborough County," added Dr. Hisham Hafez, executive director of Greater Nashua Mental Health Center.
County Commissioner Toni Pappas is quite pleased stating "this population needs to be looked at more closely to determine where they can be most effectively managed." Carol Holden District 3 Commissioner added "we have a finite number of cells at the jail, if an offender can be supervised in the community that’s where they should be." As a demonstration site, Hillsborough County leaders have agreed to share their experiences with other counties addressing these issues. County Commissioner Michael Clemons remarked, "Hillsborough County can serve as an example of how the two systems can collaborate and use data to develop thoughtful responses that yield better public safety and mental health outcomes."
The Council of State Governments Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that serves policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels from all branches of government. It provides practical, nonpartisan advice and consensus-driven strategies—informed by available evidence—to increase public safety and strengthen communities. For more on the Justice Center, visit www.justicecenter.csg.org. To learn more about the center’s criminal justice/mental health work, visit www.consensusproject.org. The BJA Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program description can be found at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/JMHCprogram.html.
All Announcements for June 2010