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Wood LL, Barrenger S, Bonfine N. Contextual Factors of Mental Health Crisis Calls to Law Enforcement: A Brief Report. Community Ment Health J 2024; 60:403-409. [PMID: 37768479 DOI: 10.1007/s10597-023-01185-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Law enforcement officers are frequent first responders to people experiencing mental health or suicide crises. Yet, as communities consider expanding crisis response options, we know very little about the nature of these calls that could inform decision making about which crisis response is best suited for the situation. This study is an exploratory, descriptive assessment of contextual factors, both individual and situational, of mental health and suicide crisis calls. Our dataset includes 166 calls to 9-1-1 related to a mental health emergency or suicide crisis. The majority were calls related to suicide (125 calls, 75%), which included more contextual factors than mental health crisis calls. Most calls resulted in the subject being transferred to the local emergency department (60%) or were resolved on scene (12%). Police use of force was rare, and no arrests were reported. The implications of these findings for communities developing alternatives to law enforcement crisis response are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie L Wood
- Department of Psychiatry, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, USA.
- Department of Sociology and Criminology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.
| | - Stacey Barrenger
- Department of Psychiatry, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, USA
| | - Natalie Bonfine
- Department of Psychiatry, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, USA
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2
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Canada K, Barrenger S, Bohrman C, Banks A, Peketi P. Multi-Level Barriers to Prison Mental Health and Physical Health Care for Individuals With Mental Illnesses. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:777124. [PMID: 35722588 PMCID: PMC9203858 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.777124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives People with mental illnesses are overrepresented in the U.S. prison population. It is well established that incarceration for this population poses physical and mental health risks including greater likelihood of victimization and suicide compared to the general prison population. Yet, research is less clear about how staff and services shape these prison experiences. The aim of this study was to examine how people with mental illnesses experience incarceration through interactions with correctional officers and treatment staff and their use of physical and mental health care services. Methods This project utilized a non-experimental design and qualitative research approach to address the research aims. Adults with mental illnesses who were formerly incarcerated were recruited from three different sites in the Midwest and East Coast. Participants completed an in-depth interview and brief survey on health histories. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the framework method for qualitative analysis. Results Participants (n = 43) identified challenges to utilizing health and mental health care including perceived access and quality of mental health, medical, or substance use treatments obtained during prison as well as participant's willingness to engage in services. Access to health care was marked by cumbersome procedures required for service use requests and inadequate staffing. Participants reported mixed experiences with medical and mental health staff ranging from experiencing kindness to feeling staff did not believe them. Participants perceived most correctional officers as exhibiting professionalism while some enacted stigma and created additional stressors. Conclusion Interactions with correctional staff and health care services have the potential to buffer the stressors and risks inherent in prisons for people with mental illnesses. Perceptions from participants suggest both individual- and systems-level opportunities for intervention to better support people with mental illnesses in prison.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelli Canada
- School of Social Work, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Stacey Barrenger
- Psychiatry, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown Township, OH, United States
| | - Casey Bohrman
- School of Social Work, West Chester University, West Chester, PA, United States
| | - Anthony Banks
- School of Social Work, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Punita Peketi
- Psychiatry, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown Township, OH, United States
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Tennille J, Bohrman C, Barrenger S, Compton E, Meduna E, Klein L. Behavioral Health Provider Attitudes and Beliefs about Sexuality and Intimacy: Findings from a Mixed Method Design. Community Ment Health J 2022; 58:444-453. [PMID: 34081264 DOI: 10.1007/s10597-021-00838-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Recovery-oriented services overlook a crucial health domain for persons with severe mental illnesses (SMI): sexuality and intimacy. Though this aspect of social recovery correlates with improved life quality and treatment outcomes, behavioral health (BH) providers avoid such topics. The study's purpose was to obtain an updated snapshot of their attitudes and beliefs about sexuality and intimacy communication. Utilizing a community advisory board, we adapted the Sexual Attitudes and Beliefs Survey (SABS) and distributed it via survey link to a national listserv. We used independent samples t-tests to examine differences on SABS mean scores by gender, age group, educational attainment, and previous training on sexuality and intimacy. We asked open-ended questions and coded responses using content analysis. Participants with more education and previous exposure to training on sexuality and intimacy were more likely to hold open views on communication. Findings offer directions for addressing this neglected aspect of recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Tennille
- College of Education and Social Work, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, 327 Dawson Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19128, USA.
| | - Casey Bohrman
- College of Education and Social Work, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, 327 Dawson Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19128, USA
| | - Stacey Barrenger
- Psychiatry, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, USA
| | - Emma Compton
- College of Education and Social Work, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, 327 Dawson Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19128, USA
| | - Evan Meduna
- College of Education and Social Work, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, 327 Dawson Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19128, USA
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Canada KE, Trawver KR, Barrenger S. Deciding to participate in mental health court: Exploring participant perspectives. Int J Law Psychiatry 2020; 72:101628. [PMID: 32889423 PMCID: PMC7554147 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2020.101628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
As the number of mental health courts (MHC) expands across the United States, so does the body of research demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing criminal recidivism. While there has been considerable research conducted on MHC operations, less is known about how individuals decide to participate in MHCs. Data from in-depth interviews with 26 MHC participants from two MHCs in the United States were analyzed using grounded dimensional and thematic analyses. Results suggest that individuals participated in MHC to avoid incarceration and obtain treatment. Participants understood the court to function in four distinct ways: 1) to help through service provision, 2) to structure a judicial agreement allowing MHCs to make treatment decisions in exchange for community living, 3) to protect people from risks within the criminal justice system, and 4) to reward participants for treatment adherence. Findings can be used to guide the need for policy and practice for those referring to MHCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelli E Canada
- University of Missouri, School of Social Work, 706 Clark Hall, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
| | - Kathi R Trawver
- University of Alaska Anchorage, School of Social Work, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, United States of America.
| | - Stacey Barrenger
- New York University, Silver School of Social Work, New York, NY, United States of America.
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Bellamy CD, Kriegel L, Barrenger S, Klimczak M, Rakfeldt J, Benson V, Baker M, Benedict P, Williamson B, MacIntyre G. Development of the citizens measure into a tool to guide clinical practice and its utility for case managers. American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/15487768.2017.1338064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chyrell D. Bellamy
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Liat Kriegel
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Stacey Barrenger
- Silver School of Social Work, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Michele Klimczak
- The Institute for Innovative Practice, The Connection, Inc., Middletown, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jaak Rakfeldt
- Social Work Department, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Victoria Benson
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Michaella Baker
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Patricia Benedict
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Bridgett Williamson
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Gillian MacIntyre
- School of Social Work and Social Policy, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Stanhope V, Choy-Brown M, Barrenger S, Manuel J, Mercado M, McKay M, Marcus SC. A comparison of how behavioral health organizations utilize training to prepare for health care reform. Implement Sci 2017; 12:19. [PMID: 28196518 PMCID: PMC5309982 DOI: 10.1186/s13012-017-0549-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Under the Affordable Care Act, States have obtained Medicaid waivers to overhaul their behavioral health service systems to improve quality and reduce costs. Critical to implementation of broad service delivery reforms has been the preparation of organizations responsible for service delivery. This study focused on one large-scale initiative to overhaul its service system with the goal of improving service quality and reducing costs. The study examined the participation of behavioral health organizations in technical assistance efforts and the extent to which organizational factors related to their participation. METHODS This study matched two datasets to examine the organizational characteristics and training participation for 196 behavioral health organizations. Organizational characteristics were drawn from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Mental Health Services Survey (N-MHSS). Training variables were drawn from the Clinical Technical Assistance Center's master training database. Chi-square analyses and multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the proportion of organizations that participated in training, the organizational characteristics (size, population served, service quality, infrastructure) that predicted participation in training, and for those who participated, the type (clinical or business) and intensity of training (webinar, learning collaborative, in-person) they received. RESULTS Overall 142 (72. 4%) of the sample participated in training. Organizations who pursued training were more likely to be large in size (p = .02), serve children in addition to adults (p < .01), provide child evidence-based practices (p = .01), and use computerized scheduling (p = .01). Of those trained, 95% participated in webinars, 64% participated in learning collaboratives and 35% participated in in-person trainings. More organizations participated in business trainings than clinical (63.8 vs. 59.2%). Organizations serving children had higher odds of participating in both clinical training (OR = 5.91, p < .01) and business training (OR = 4.24, p < .01) than those that did not serve children. CONCLUSIONS The majority of organizations participated in trainings indicating desire for technical assistance to prepare for health care reform. Larger organizations and organizations serving children were more likely to participate potentially indicating increased interest in preparation. Over half participated in business trainings highlighting interest in learning to improve efficiency. Further understanding is needed to support organizational readiness for health care reform initiatives among behavioral health organizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Stanhope
- Silver School of Social Work, New York University, 1 Washington Square North, New York, NY, 10011, USA.
| | - Mimi Choy-Brown
- Silver School of Social Work, New York University, 1 Washington Square North, New York, NY, 10011, USA
| | - Stacey Barrenger
- Silver School of Social Work, New York University, 1 Washington Square North, New York, NY, 10011, USA
| | - Jennifer Manuel
- Silver School of Social Work, New York University, 1 Washington Square North, New York, NY, 10011, USA
| | - Micaela Mercado
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 42-09 28th street, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Mary McKay
- Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, Campus Box 1196, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63130-4899, USA
| | - Steven C Marcus
- School of Social Policy and Practice, University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-2648, USA
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Angell B, Matthews E, Barrenger S, Watson AC, Draine J. Engagement processes in model programs for community reentry from prison for people with serious mental illness. Int J Law Psychiatry 2014; 37:490-500. [PMID: 24650496 PMCID: PMC4209157 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2014.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Linking prisoners with mental illness with treatment following release is critical to preventing recidivism, but little research exists to inform efforts to engage them effectively. This presentation compares the engagement process in two model programs, each representing an evidence-based practice for mental health which has been adapted to the context of prison reentry. One model, Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT), emphasizes a long-term wrap-around approach that seeks to maximize continuity of care by concentrating all services within one interdisciplinary team; the other, Critical Time Intervention (CTI), is a time-limited intervention that promotes linkages to outside services and bolsters natural support systems. To compare engagement practices, we analyze data from two qualitative studies, each conducted in a newly developed treatment program serving prisoners with mental illness being discharged from prisons to urban communities. Findings show that the working relationship in reentry services exhibits unique features and is furthered in both programs by the use of practitioner strategies of engagement, including tangible assistance, methods of interacting with consumers, and encouragement of service use via third parties such as families and parole officers. Nevertheless, each program exhibited distinct cultures and rituals of reentry that were associated with fundamental differences in philosophy and differences in resources available to each program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth Angell
- School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
| | - Elizabeth Matthews
- School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Stacey Barrenger
- Silver School of Social Work, Ehrenkranz Center, 1 Washington Square North,New York, NY ,10003, USA
| | - Amy C Watson
- Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois-Chicago, 1040 West Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60607-7134, USA
| | - Jeffrey Draine
- School of Social Work, Temple University, 1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19122-6091, USA
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Wilson AB, Barrenger S, Bohrman C, Draine J. Balancing accessibility and selectivity in 21st century public mental health services: implications for hard to engage clients. J Behav Health Serv Res 2014; 40:191-206. [PMID: 23242662 DOI: 10.1007/s11414-012-9307-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This research highlights the importance of expanding examinations of service accessibility for hard to engage client populations to include assessments of individuals' ability to gain entrance to services and the system's ability to meet the service needs of particular client populations. The results of this research provide a framework to support these examinations. The increasing levels of selectivity and targeting of mental health services to particular client populations found in this study raise fundamental questions about the goals of service accessibility in 21st century public mental health services generally, and for hard-to-engage clients particularly. These findings also point to the need for examinations of the eligibility criteria and gatekeeping mechanism that are used to target services to particular client populations to determine if they are working as intended and to assess what impact these mechanisms have on hard to engage clients' ability to gain entrance to needed services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Blank Wilson
- Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH, 44106-7164, USA.
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Blank Wilson A, Draine J, Barrenger S, Hadley T, Evans A. Examining the Impact of Mental Illness and Substance Use on Time till Re-incarceration in a County Jail. Adm Policy Ment Health 2013; 41:293-301. [DOI: 10.1007/s10488-013-0467-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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