There is no one solution to the problem. Rather, at each juncture of the criminal justice process -- from before arrest to after release from a correctional facility -- there are steps that the criminal justice and mental health systems can take to improve their response to people with mental illness. In addition to improving availability and access to effective mental health services -- particularly those that are evidence-based -- improvements include better training, improved screening procedures, pre-booking and post-booking diversion programs, enhanced treatment during incarceration, and better transition planning.
No single strategy is sufficient, and only a continuum of responses across the criminal justice and mental health systems can address this systemic problem. However, one common denominator among all of these strategies is their basis in collaboration between at least one criminal justice and one mental health agency.
The preceding overview of the problem is brief, and advocates should access the information sources mentioned above and the many others available for a fuller understanding. To that end, the Consensus Project (http://www.consensusproject.org) and GAINS Center for Evidence-Based Practices (http://www.gainscenter.samhsa.gov) provide detailed policy recommendations, examples of promising programs, publications, training information, and technical assistance.
It is just as important for advocates to reach out to police officers, mental health practitioners, consumers of mental health services, judges, corrections officials, and others with firsthand knowledge of the problem in their own communities. As they do, advocates will not only develop a broader understanding of the problem, but also begin to see where their advocacy is most needed.
Proceed to: "Step 2: Anticipate Frequently Asked Questions"
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