Date Completed

Winter 3-16-2025

Document Type

Masters Capstone Project

Degree Name

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Department

Social Work

Abstract

Policy reform, increased funding for mental health services, and advancements in record management and digitalization can significantly enhance interventions to address “the vicious circle of institutional transfer of individuals from the Criminal justice system to psychiatric hospitals has long-term negative impacts on the well-being of the individual.” Each of these can be leveraged in diverse ways. Some programs divert individuals with mental health issues away from incarceration and into treatment, reduce the criminalization of mental health conditions, enforce timelines for competency restoration, and promote collaboration between criminal justice, healthcare, and community-based services. Reforms target disparities in treatment access to ensure marginalized populations (e.g., racial minorities and low-income groups) receive equitable care, as seen in the Trueblood Settlement and Senate Bill 5440. So, my Intervention in terms of policy reforms is to have policy reform for mental health through the expansion of preventive care policies and legal protections for individuals with mental health to reduce stigma and discrimination against individuals with mental illness. As for increased funding for mental health, since it can expand the availability of mental health services, such as more forensic beds, outpatient competency restoration programs, crisis stabilization, technologically innovative programs (e.g., telepsychiatry in correctional settings) as we sow it during the height of covid-19, longitudinal research that will ensure interventions remain evidence-based, investments in supportive housing, case management, and community-based mental health services reduce reliance on incarceration as a default response. In this light, my intervention will be sustainable and equitable distribution of funds across urban and rural settings and financial support for smaller, community-based organizations often closest to underserved populations. Finally, in the area of record management and digitalization, which is the main intervention idea I am considering for my project, this digitalized record system is the case for insurance and private healthcare systems. This will ensure that health information is accessible across systems, facilitating seamless transitions from incarceration to community care; it helps integrate criminal justice, healthcare, and social services data, enabling better coordination and accountability; it tracks individual outcomes, treatment, and medication history, helping identify gaps in services, and reduce errors and streamline processes, such as competency evaluations and treatment referrals. So, my intended intervention will be privacy protection to safeguard individuals' sensitive health data to prevent misuse or discrimination. Interoperability systems that will be compatible across agencies and jurisdictions with equitable access to support underfunded organizations to be effective.

Download

Share

COinS