Persons with serious mental illness (SMI) have the potential to live full and successful lives. Yet, unfortunately there is the risk that some will end up with poor outcomes including involvement in the criminal justice system. In fact, persons with SMI are over-represented in the criminal justice system. Two primary models have been espoused to help decrease the population of people with SMI in the criminal justice system. The Sequential Intercept Model examines various points of potential interception as criminal justice system decisions are made, such as at arrest, at court, at incarceration and reentry. The Stepping Up framework asks leaders at a county level to join to make shifts that can reduce the numbers of people with SMI in jails. This presentation will review basics regarding the criminal justice system, provide basic data on the prevalence of people with SMI in the justice system, and offer an overview of models looking at reform to help individual patients and systems.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the basic elements of the criminal justice system.
• Describe data regarding individuals with SMI in the Justice System.
• Delineate the Sequential Intercept Model and the Stepping Up initiative as reform strategies to reduce the population of individuals with SMI from the justice system.

Target Audience

Instructional Level

Introductory; Intermediate

Estimated Time to Complete

Estimated Duration: 1.0 hour 
Program Start Date: October 18, 2019 
Program End Date: October 18, 2022

How to Earn Credit

Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, CE credit for psychologists, or a certificate of participation may do so by completing all sections of the course, including the evaluation. A multiple choice quiz is provided based on the content. A passing score of 75% must be achieved. Retakes are available for the test. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians), CE certificate (psychologists), or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the completion date and hours earned.

Continuing Education Credit

Physicians

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The APA designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Psychologists

The American Psychiatric Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The American Psychiatric Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Continuing education requirements vary from state to state. Many state boards grant reciprocity with national accrediting organizations and other state boards. It is the responsibility of each professional to understand the requirements for license renewal or check with the state or national licensing board and/or professional organization to become more familiar with their policies for acceptable continuing education credit. Social workers and Psychologists should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval.

Faculty and Planner Disclosures

Instructor

• Debra Pinals, MD, serves as the director of the Program in Psychiatry, Law, and Ethics and a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School. She is also a clinical adjunct professor at the University of Michigan Law School. Dr. Pinals reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. 

Planners

• Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. 
• Amy N. Cohen, PhD, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests. 
• Tristan Gorrindo, MD, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Donna Rolin, PhD, APRN, University of Texas at Austin. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Reviewers

• John Torous, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Torous has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. (Reviewed on 9/15/22)
• Amy N. Cohen, PhD, American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Cohen has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. (Reviewed on 10/4/22)
• Teri Brister, PhD, LPC, National Alliance on Mental Illness. Dr. Brister has no relevant financial relationships to disclose. (Reviewed on 10/23/22)

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.

Technical Requirements

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:

• The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
• Internet Explorer 11+

This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.

Optimal System Configuration:

• Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher

Minimum Requirements:

• Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
• Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact SMIAdviserHelp@psych.org for technical assistance