Persons with serious mental illness (SMI) have the potential to live full and successful lives. Yet, unfortunately there is the risk that some will end up with poor outcomes including involvement in the criminal justice system. In fact, persons with SMI are over-represented in the criminal justice system. Two primary models have been espoused to help decrease the population of people with SMI in the criminal justice system. The Sequential Intercept Model examines various points of potential interception as criminal justice system decisions are made, such as at arrest, at court, at incarceration and reentry. The Stepping Up framework asks leaders at a county level to join to make shifts that can reduce the numbers of people with SMI in jails. This webinar will review basics regarding the criminal justice system, provide basic data on the prevalence of people with SMI in the justice system, and offer an overview of models looking at reform to help individual patients and systems.

Presenter: Debra Pinals, MD, University of Michigan