Excerpt from the Washington Department of Social and Health Services blog
Partnering with prosecutors
In King County, one client came into its prosecutorial diversion program after receiving 47 charges and incarcerations in a short period of time. Many of his charges were minor offenses — panhandling for cash, or trespassing by camping on a business property. In fact, the Community House staff outreached both through the client’s family and to the location he would panhandle. Eventually the client engaged in psychiatric services, took medications, and participated in respite housing.
“He was able to go from respite into independent housing and got an apartment, and is still in that apartment today, and is doing fabulous,” said Baker.
After a couple of more charges, soon after enrollment in the program, his involvement with the criminal legal system dropped and there was a dramatic change in the client’s recidivism.
“It’s that kind of proof over time and engagement and experiential evidence with our prosecutors that has solidified that relationship,” said Shanna Clinton, competency and intensive services coordinator with the King County Behavioral Health and Recovery Division. …
De facto mental health institutions
“The jails and prisons have become the largest de factor mental institutions in our country, and it is not the right place for people with severe and persistent behavioral health issues to be. They’re not getting their needs met, they’re not getting the treatment they needed, and these programs are really set to pull this population out of being criminalized just for being mentally ill,” said Tammie Baker, clinical director of the Community House Mental Health Agency. “I think that’s the biggest piece that people need to understand, is that we need to stop criminalizing mental illness.”
Read “Prosecutorial diversion programs aid people in getting behavioral health help” on the DSHSWA medium site.
