At the in Newport Beach, California, ɫ��ɫ’s Sarah Nudel and Robin Weintraub were honored to present on the Behavioral Health Court Model, a specific program type designed to serve individuals who have mental health needs and are involved with the criminal justice system. We are pleased to share the presentation below.

Mental Health and the Justice System: Behavioral Health Court Model Puts Teams on the Same Page

ɫ��ɫ has provided services to individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring justice involvement issues for more than 15 years. The focus of this year’s NAMI CA presentation was the Behavioral Health Court (BHC) model, a treatment modality that ɫ��ɫ offers for the community through programs in Orange County and San Diego County, California.

Program Model Overview

The BHC model has been a productive and effective model to support individuals with serious mental illness who are on probation, to help them regain and maintain stability, fulfill the obligations of their probation requirements, prevent recidivism into the criminal justice system, and take steps toward a healthier future, a more stable life, and meaningful roles in the community.

The Behavioral Health Court Model is a collaborative process with multiple stakeholders. Here’s the BHC role breakdown:

Mental Health Professionals

• Focus on mental health treatment

• Sensitive to privacy

• Recovery-focused

• Community linkages

• Mental health visits at home/in the field

• Teach effective choice-making

• Power aware

• Seek to awaken internal motivation

Justice Partners

• Focus on accountability

• Community supervision

• Monitor conditions of release (COR)

• Community linkages

• Perform visits and searches at home

• Focused on compliance, not choice

• Power-over

• Use COR and sanctions as external motivation

Learn More About the Model

Program length is a minimum of 18 months, but members typically stay 2-3 years.

BHC is a day program model where clients participate in groups based on where they are in their recovery process in the program. Programming focuses on evidence-based practices to support recovery, reduce criminogenic behaviors, and support the individual in making forward progress in the program. Case managers link members to community resources.

After graduation, members are transferred to outpatient clinics at an equal or lower level of care depending on the presenting need.

Contact Information:

• Sarah Nudel, Administrator at PROPS, CORE, and BHC

  • /san-diego-collaborative-mental-health-court

• Robin Weintraub, Administrator at Whatever It Takes (WIT)

  • /orange-county-court-collaborative

Christina Roberts, driver at ɫ��ɫ steps orange county and former WIT member

September is National Recovery month. It is a time dedicated toward educating Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with symptoms of a mental health diagnosis and/or substance use to live healthy, rewarding lives.

At ɫ��ɫ, we not only treat those with co-occurring disorders, but also take pride in employing former clients who have lived experienced and continue in their recovery journey. Christina Roberts, a driver at , shares her inspiring example. By harnessing life’s setbacks, Christina has shown that it’s possible to navigate to destinations the previously may have seemed impossible.

“When I come into work now, I'm giving back. I can relate. I had a drug and alcohol problem. I now have two years clean. I struggled with homelessness, drug addiction, and mental illness. I hope that I can just take one member and lead them in the right direction and help change their life like it's changed my life,” said Christina.

After getting into trouble and ending up in front of a judge for sentencing, Roberts was given two choices: serve jail time or participate in the program. WIT, which stands for “Whatever It Takes,” began in 2012 as a collaboration between ɫ��ɫ and the mental health courts of Orange County. It’s a four-phase, voluntary program where members who have a demonstrated history of mental illness are put on conditional release from prison.

While in WIT, they are required to be sober, transition up to new phases, and ultimately graduate from the program. The goal is to equip those in recovery with new skills and resources—things they might not receive through incarceration.

“To be honest, I had a relapse. It was too much. It was overwhelming. I was scared. I didn't want to follow directions. I wouldn't submit to the program,” she admitted. “I got arrested. When I got arrested, I had to serve some time, but then ɫ��ɫ took me back. They gave me a second chance. WIT stands for ‘Whatever It Takes,’ and they stood by what that means.”

Christina then fully embraced WIT, the support groups, and most importantly, her peers. Actively participating in the programs is also what helped her find her true calling—wanting to go from ɫ��ɫ member to ɫ��ɫ employee.

“When I came back from my relapse, I told my probation officer and the staff at ɫ��ɫ that I was going to work for ɫ��ɫ. I didn't know how it was going to happen. A few months later, I spoke at an FSP luncheon and I got three job offers,” Christina said.

She chose to accept the offer as a driver at STEPS and hasn't looked back.

Christina credits ɫ��ɫ for being the driving force in her personal recovery—a force that stood with her and believed in her when no one else did.

“ɫ��ɫ saved my life,” said Christina. “It provided stability, and it's shown me how to become a productive member of society. It taught me that I can make it in this world and have a mental illness.”