Analysis Area 1: Facilitate a cross-system data match between DHHS and county jails to identify the overlapping population of people who have behavioral health challenges who move through local criminal justice systems and identify high utilizers of both systems. CSG Justice Center staff will conduct an in-depth descriptive analysis of the matched Medicaid claims data to provide information on trends in services accessed in the community by people incarcerated in each participating jail. CSG Justice Center staff will also analyze county jail data related to demographic information, booking and release information, screening and assessment information, medications, and programming and treatment information to understand the criminal justice and behavioral health characteristics of locally incarcerated populations. Update: In January, CSG Justice Center staff continued to analyze jail and Medicaid data and began creating visualizations for the final presentation. During this process, CSG Justice Center staff realized that jail data from Carroll County was incorrect and needed to be resubmitted, which the county is working quickly to resolve. Luckily, CSG Justice Center staff can move forward with the majority of its data analysis absent the Carrol County data. CSG Justice Center staff also met with DHHS staff to identify the best process for sharing information with them as the data analysis is completed. Analysis Area 2: Conduct a qualitative assessment on the availability, quality, and data collection practices of jail-based mental health and substance use disorder programming and treatment. CSG Justice Center staff will conduct interviews and focus groups with superintendents, jail staff, and contracted behavioral health providers to provide information on the identification of people with behavioral health needs, services, programming, and options within jails for care coordination to support connections to community-based care. CSG Justice Center staff will review jail policies that guide the practice of identifying, tracking, and referring people with behavioral health conditions to services. This assessment will provide qualitative data on local trends in jail populations, behavioral health needs, and participation in jail-based treatment and services. Update: CSG Justice Center staff completed its assessment of jail-based mental health and substance use disorder programming and treatment in August. Since then, CSG Justice Center staff have used the findings from the jail assessment to inform ongoing data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and the results from the community-based behavioral health assessment. Analysis Area 3: Conduct a community-based behavioral health assessment with mental health center staff, substance use disorder treatment and recovery support service providers, housing and homeless service providers, and people with lived experiences. CSG Justice Center staff will identify and geographically map current behavioral health services, crisis response, and alternatives to incarceration programs to provide an overview of availability of services in each county. This assessment will inform stakeholders on the current gaps in behavioral health resources and care coordination with criminal justice systems. Update: In January, CSG Justice Center staff received a finalized version of the community-based behavioral health assessment from Policy Research Associates (PRA), which CSG Justice Center staff reviewed with an eye toward identifying potential policy recommendations. CSG Justice Center staff also reviewed qualitative research regarding community mental health, housing, and homelessness and began comparing findings to initial data analysis. Analysis Area 4: Connect with criminal justice stakeholders (law enforcement, judges, defense attorney, prosecuting attorneys, and community-based corrections) to examine the extent to which law enforcement, courts, and other criminal justice stakeholders have viable, evidence-informed community resources available for people in the criminal justice system who have behavioral health and housing needs, including access to effective crisis and treatment services. CSG Justice Center staff will also identify and geographically map current alternatives to incarceration programs to provide an overview of availability of options for criminal justice agencies in each county. This assessment will inform stakeholders on the current gaps in alternatives to criminal justice system for people with behavioral health conditions. Update: CSG Justice Center staff spoke with Police Chief Sullivan (Executive Director Police Chiefs Associations) and other county police chiefs, including Police Chief Bryfonski (Bedford Police Department), Police Chief Hoebeke (Hollis Police Department), and Police Chief Chase (Central Harbor Police Department), to understand the challenges police officers face when dealing with people who have substance use disorder and protective custody holds. CSG Justice Center staff gained insight from speaking with police chiefs who do not have as many mental health resources in their communities. Rural police chiefs expressed frustration with the lack of resources and the lack of consideration of rural jurisdictions in funding discussions.
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