| Honor National Veterans and Military Families Month
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SAMHSA's SMVF TA Center Invites Communities to Apply for Crisis Intercept Mapping Workshops
Application due date: November 30, 2022
SAMHSA's Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Technical Assistance (SMVF TA) Center is soliciting applications from communities interested in participating in Crisis Intercept Mapping (CIM) Workshops. CIMs are designed to bring together an interagency group of key stakeholders from the community (typically a county or city) to identify barriers and gaps in the community's crisis system serving SMVF and discuss ways in which best practices and partnerships can be implemented to close those gaps and reduce service member and Veteran suicide. Through the development of integrated local strategic action plans, evidence-based and best practices are integrated into the protocols of key community organizations.
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New Podcast: Honor and Service November is National Veterans and Military Families Month, a time to express our gratitude for the service of our nation's Veterans and military families. The theme for Veterans Day, November 11, is honor. In recognition of these observances, Policy Research staff have reflected on that theme of honor and the work they do each day serving our nation's SMVF.
A new episode that captures their reflections features three members of the SMVF TA Center team: Co-director Duane France, Project Associate Tish Di Leo, and Project Associate Chantel Boudreau. Duane and Tish are both retired Army non-commissioned officers and combat Veterans, and Chantel is a Navy Veteran. In this episode, moderated by Communications Director Holley Davis, the three guests discuss their service, their family's service, and the work they do today as part of the SMVF TA Center.
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Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of Veterans Across the Intercepts Many Veterans experience substance use disorders; mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder; and trauma, including traumatic brain injuries, all of which can lead to involvement with the criminal legal system. Fifty-five percent of Veterans incarcerated in 2011–2012 reported having a mental disorder, with mental illness diagnoses twice as high in Veterans as in non-Veterans. Approximately 65 to 71 percent of justice-involved Veterans had a reported substance use disorder before arrest.
In recognition of Veterans Day on November 11, Policy Research highlighted several relevant resources and opportunities. A focus on specific populations, such as Veterans, aligns with the commitment Safety and Justice Challenge sites have to diversion and deflection, as well as meeting the behavioral health needs of individuals who are or may become involved with the criminal legal system.
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| Samantha Zottola Co-authors Judicature Article Highlighting Trauma-Informed Judicial Practice
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There is widespread recognition of the impact of trauma and its effects in criminal legal system settings. However, many judges do not feel adequately equipped to implement trauma-informed practices within their courtrooms. Trainings aiming to educate court staff on trauma and trauma-informed practices have emerged to fill that gap. However, the perceptions judges have of these trainings have not been studied. In a new article published by Judicature, Senior Research Associate Samantha Zottola, PhD, shares the results of a study examining judicial perceptions of trauma training and trauma-informed courtrooms.
Dr. Zottola's co-authors conducted a feedback session and follow-up interviews with 11 North Carolina-based judges who attended a pilot trauma education course administered by the Bolch Judicial Institute at Duke Law School. The authors explored three themes in their interviews with the judges: trauma education, trauma-informed courts, and barriers and solutions.
From their analysis of the interviews, the authors identified 11 recommendations to enhance trauma education, 5 components of a trauma-informed courtroom, and 3 common barriers to the implementation of trauma-informed judicial practices. Included in the findings were the following recommendations to enhance trauma education:
- Focus on the practical: Share practical ways judges can apply the knowledge they are gaining to common situations with courtroom participants
- Incorporate research, data, and statistics into training: Trainers are encouraged to share the effects of implementing trauma-informed practices (e.g., are there positive life outcomes, reduced rates of recidivism)
- Supplement training with educational resources: Trainers are encouraged to develop supplemental, at-a-glance materials judges can take with them (e.g., bench cards and checklists) to keep information top of mind
"Trauma-Informed Judicial Practice from the Judges' Perspective" was co-authored by Eva McKinsey, PhD; Alexis Mitchell; Mark Heinen; and Luke Ellmaker.
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| Integrating Behavioral Health Peer Support Specialists into Crisis Response: Academic Training Initiative to Inform Police Responses Webinar
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December 8, 2022, 1:00 p.m. ET
This webinar, hosted by the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Academic Training Initiative to Inform Police Responses, explores how peer support specialists can be integrated successfully into crisis response models. This webinar will
- provide an overview of the roles of behavioral health peer support specialists across the criminal justice system,
- discuss the newer role of peer support specialists in crisis response, and
- provide examples of how peer support specialists are trained and embedded in teams of professionals tasked with responding to crisis calls in the community.
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| PRI Publishes Research Papers From ARDRAW's Fifth Cohort
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Policy Research, Inc., is pleased to announce the publication of research papers from the fifth cohort of the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Analyzing Relationships between Disability, Rehabilitation, and Work (ARDRAW) Small Grant Program.
The ARDRAW Small Grant Program is a 1-year, $10,000 stipend program awarded to graduate-level students to conduct supervised, independent research designed to foster new analysis of work, rehabilitation, and disability issues.
Topics explored within the fifth cohort's research projects include the following:
- How text-based communications affect the experiences of people who are blind or visually impaired in the context of telework
- COVID-19 and mobility impacts on employment of adult Social Security beneficiaries with autism spectrum disorder
- Stigmatizing built environments and mobility-disabled people's labor integration
- The impact of COVID-19 on vocational rehabilitation services of Social Security beneficiaries
The full suite of research papers is now available for review and download.
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In August 2022, members of the fifth cohort presented their research findings in several webinar panel discussions. These webinars are now available for on-demand viewing.
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| Careers at Policy Research
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Do you want to join a company that puts people first? Do you want coworkers committed to transforming systems to create positive social change? If so, join Policy Research—we're hiring! Applicants may be based in the Albany, New York, area or across the United States.
Senior Project Associate—Criminal Justice/Criminal Legal System The full-time Senior Project Associate will provide subject-matter expertise, direction, and support across multiple projects focused on expanding access to community-based behavioral health and support services for adults within the criminal justice/criminal legal system.
Project Assistant—SMVF TA Center The full-time Project Assistant will function as an integral part of a team that provides technical assistance to cross-agency state/territory/community teams working to implement strategic plans to improve behavioral health services for SMVF. Ideal candidates should possess first-hand knowledge of military culture and awareness of the unique needs facing SMVF individuals.
Bookkeeper The full-time, detail-oriented Bookkeeper will be an integral part of a small accounting team. The primary responsibilities will be to prepare customer invoices and bi-weekly payrolls.
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