DMH Forensic Mental Health Services include court-based forensic mental health assessments and consultations for persons who are facing criminal or delinquency charges and civil commitment proceedings. These court-based services involve the provision of individual statutory and non-statutory evaluations regarding persons with mental health and substance abuse difficulties as well as mental health liaisons to adult and juvenile justice court personnel. Forensic Mental Health Services also encompasses DMH risk management activities.
DMH Forensic Service staff collaborate with other state agencies and providers regarding individuals who are involved in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. The Forensic Transition Team provides reentry services for DMH clients who are transitioning from prisons, jails and other places of detention to the community. Forensic Mental Health Services also oversees DMH-funded jail diversion activities and partners with other agencies on federally-funded projects aimed at minimizing the involvement of persons with mental health histories into the criminal justice system.
Jail Diversion Programs
Persons with mental illness are over-represented in the criminal justice system. Since 2007, the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) has collaborated with local law enforcement agencies to develop local Jail Diversion Projects to better serve this population.
Resources
- The Springfield Specialty Court: Mental Health Session
- Forensic Report FY04 - 08 (Word)
- Pre-Arrest Law Enforcement-Based Jail Diversion Program Report, July 1, 2011 to January 1, 2014
- DMH Jail Diversion Programs Report 7/06 to 10/09 (Word)
- Department of Mental Health Pre-Arrest Law Enforcement Based Jail Diversion Programs FY 2016 Fact Sheet
- M.G.L. c. 123, s.15 (a) Report Writing (PDF)
- 15(b) Report Writing Manual with CST and CR appendix
- MISSION DIRECT VET (Word)
- DMH Forensic Mental Health Services at a Glance