University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
School of Social Work
Course:
SOWO 769, Social Work at the Interface of the Mental Health and Criminal
Justice Systems: Practice, Policy, and Research
Professor:
Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D., M.S.W., M.P.H.
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work
Faculty Research Fellow, Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CB#3550, 325 Pittsboro Street, 324-H
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7590
Phone: Social Work (919) 962-4363, Sheps Center (919) 966-0995
cuddeback@mail.schsr.unc.edu
Brief Course Description: Social workers are often the front-line service providers for mentally
ill offenders. This course explores social work practice, policy, and research at the interface of
criminal justice and behavioral health.
Expanded Course Description and Objectives: Persons with severe and persistent mental
illness are one of the most vulnerable populations served by social workers today.
Unfortunately, the criminal justice system now plays a significant role in the care and treatment
of persons with severe mental illness and the welfare of these individuals is closely intertwined
with criminal justice practice and policy. Given the significant overlap between behavioral health
and criminal justice caseloads, it is important that professional schools of social work equip our
graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to serve justice-involved persons with
severe mental illness and successfully work with and within the criminal justice system.
This course is designed to explore social work practice, policy, and research at the interface of
the public mental health and criminal justice systems and to provide instruction in the following
topics: (1) evidence-based practices for justice-involved persons with severe mental illness; (2)
jails, prisons, and community supervision and persons with severe mental illness; (3) criminal
and specialty courts for persons with severe mental illness; (4) mental health and criminal
justice policies and persons with severe mental illness; and (5) social work research at the
interface of the behavioral health and criminal justice. Upon completion of this course, students
will be able to:
1. Discuss the overlap between criminal justice and behavioral health caseloads;
2. Discuss the public health and public safety implications of the large and growing numbers
of persons with severe mental illness in the criminal justice system;
3. Identify evidence-based practices for justice-involved persons with severe mental illness;
4. Understand and discuss the structure and functions of criminal and specialty courts, jails,
prisons, and community supervision and their service points used by social workers who
are providing services to justice-involved persons with severe mental illness;
5. Understand the independent and synergistic effects of criminal justice and behavioral
health policies on the well-being of persons with severe mental illness served by social
workers;
6. Discuss issues of stigma, race/ethnicity, diversity, and disparities for justice-involved
persons with severe mental illness.
7. Identify and discuss ethical issues for social work practice, policy and research at the
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SOWO 769 – Short Course - Cuddeback
interface of the criminal justice and behavioral health systems; and
8. Enumerate and discuss important social work research issues and gaps at the interface
of the criminal justice and behavioral health systems.
Policy on Incomplete or Late Assignments: Students must notify the instructor at least 24
hours before an assignment is due if an assignment is going to be turned in late. Extensions
may be given at the instructor’s discretion. Students will lose five points for each 24-hour period
beyond the due date and time (including weekends) for unexcused late assignments.
Assignments that are more than 5 days late will not be accepted. A grade of “Incomplete” will
be given only in extenuating circumstances and in accordance with School of Social Work and
University policy.
Policy on Academic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty is contrary to the ethics of the social
work profession, is unfair to other students and will not be tolerated in any form. Please refer to
the APA Style Guide, The SSW Manual, and the SSW Writing Guide for information on
attribution of quotes, plagiarism and appropriate use of assistance in preparing assignments. All
written assignments should contain a signed pledge from you stating that, "I have not given or
received unauthorized aid in preparing this written work.” In keeping with the UNC Honor Code,
if reason exists to believe that academic dishonesty has occurred, a referral will be made to the
Office of the Student Attorney General for investigation and further action as required.
Format for Written Work: APA format should be used for all written assignments. Students
should refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) for
information on APA format. A self-paced APA tutorial can be found at
http://www.lib.unc.edu/instruct/citations/apa/index.html.
Policy on Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities that
affect their participation in the course and who wish to have special accommodations should
contact the University’s Disabilities Services (Voice/TDD 962-8300, 966-4041). Students must
have a formal letter from the University’s Department of Disabilities Services to receive
disability-based accommodations. Students should discuss the need for specific
accommodations with their instructor at the beginning of the semester.
Course Requirements
Short Essays: There will be three short essay assignments during the course of the semester.
These assignments are structured to reinforce classroom learning and help students develop
and further critical thinking and policy analysis skills. These assignments will be due each week.
Short essay assignments will count for 33% of the course grade.
Final Paper: The final paper will be worth 66%. The paper will consist of 2 to 3 pages and will
represent the student’s understanding of the practice, policy and research issues at the
interface of the mental health and criminal justice systems and will conclude with practice, policy
or research recommendations to address a critical issue that was discussed during the
semester. More details will be provided.
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SOWO 769 – Short Course - Cuddeback
Evaluation and Grading:
Short Essay Average
Final Exam
33.33%
33.33%
100%
Points
94 – 100
80 – 93
70 – 79
< 69
Grade
H
P
L
F
Course Outline and Readings
Class 1
Introductions
Course overview and syllabus
Overview of severe and persistent mental illness
Overview of the public mental health system
Overview of the interface of the mental health and criminal justice systems
Suggested readings:
Goldman, H. H., Gattozzi, A. A., & Taube, C. A. (1981). Defining and counting
the chronically mentally ill. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 32, 21–27.
New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, 2003. Achieving the Promise:
Transforming Mental Health Care in America. Final Report. DHHS Pub. No.
SMA-03-3832. Rockville, MD.
Videos, documentaries and web resources:
Psychiatric bed shortage: http://energycommerce.house.gov/hearing/wherehave-all-patients-gone-examining-psychiatric-bed-shortage
FRONTLINE series: Locked up in America – April 2014
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/locked-up-in-america/#prison-state
Local News – inmate with mental illness dies in prison
http://www.9news.com/longform/news/investigations/2014/06/19/mentally-illdeath-lawsuit/10882089/
CNN – taking on America’s mental health crisis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsUd8hMBAbA
Mental Health in Jails – CBS local news
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/02/13/sheriffs-office-releases-shockingvideo-of-mentally-ill-inmates/
Mental illness teaching videos:
Mania: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA-fqvC02oM
Psychosis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB28gfSmz1Y
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Schizophrenia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWaFqw8XnpA
Class 2
Reflection paper 1 due
Evaluating the evidence for evidence-based practices
Evidence-based practices for persons with severe mental illnesses
 Assertive Community Treatment (ACT team)
 Housing First
 Medication management
Suggested readings:
Bond, G. R., Drake, R. E., Mueser, K. T., & Latimer, E. (2001). Assertive
Community Treatment: critical ingredients and impact on patients. Disease
Management and Health Outcomes, 9(3), 141-159.
Dixon, L. (2000). Assertive community treatment: Twenty-five years of gold.
Psychiatric Services, 51(6), 759-765.
Tsemberis, S., Gulcur, L., & Nakae, M. (2004). Housing First, consumer
choice, and harm reduction for homeless individuals with dual diagnosis.
American Journal of Public Health, 94(4), 651-656.
Vidoes, documentaries and web resources:
NPR – Effort To Force Treatment On Severely Mentally Ill Meets Resistance
http://www.npr.org/2014/05/01/308692285/effort-to-force-treatment-onseverely-mentally-ill-meets-resistance
Persons with schizophrenia before and after medication
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7kSwG3sPQY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhbfZAhOxrI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01aNbS3EVfE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7LsV82a-3A
Class 3
Reflection paper 2 due
Evidence-based practices for persons with severe mental illnesses (cont’d)
 Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment
 Family Psychoeducation
 Supported Employment
 Illness Management Recovery
Suggested readings:
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Drake, R. E., Mercer-McFadden, C., Mueser, K. T., McHugo, G. J., & Bond,
G. R. (1998). Review of integrated mental health and substance abuse
treatment for patients with dual disorders. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 24(4), 589608.
Cook, J. A., Lehman, A. F., Drake, R., McFarlane, W. R., Gold, P. B., Leff, H.
S., Blyler, C., Toprac, M. G., Razzano, L. A., Burke-Miller, J. K. Blankertz, L.,
Shafer, M., Pickett-Schenk, S. A., & Grey, D. D. (2005). Integration of
psychiatric and vocational services: A multisite, randomized, controlled trial of
supported employment. American Journal of Psychiatry, 162(10), 1948-1956.
Videos, documentaries and web resources:
Supported employment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoLO_p04uKY
Class 4
Reflection paper 3 due
Evidence-based and emerging practices at the interface of the criminal justice
and mental health systems
 Sequential intercept model
 Mental Health Courts
 Crisis Intervention Training
 Cognitive behavioral therapies
Suggested readings:
Barrowclough, C., Haddock, G., Beardmore, R, Conrod, P, Craig, T., Davies,
L. et al. (2009). Evaluating integrated MI and CBT for people with psychosis
and substance misuse: recruitment, retention and sample characteristics of
the MIDAS trial. Addictive Behaviors, 34, 859-866.
Compton, M. T., Bahora, M., Watson, A. C. et al., (2008). A comprehensive
review of extant research on Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs.
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law, 36, 47-55.
Drymalski, W. M., & Campbell, T. C. (2009). A review of motivational
interviewing to enhance adherence to antipsychotic medication in patients
with schizophrenia: evidence and recommendations. Journal of Mental
Health, 18(1), 6-15.
Munetz, M. D., Mark, & Griffin, P. D., Patricia. (2006). Use of the Sequential
Intercept Model as an approach to decriminalization of people with serious
mental illness. Psychiatric Services, 57(4), 544–549.
doi:10.1176/appi.ps.57.4.544
Steadman, H. J., Davidson, S., & Brown, C. (2001). Mental health courts:
Their promise and unanswered questions. Psychiatric Services, 52(4), 457458.
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Videos, documentaries and web resources:
What to Expect in Court:
http://www.tsc.state.tn.us/programs/self-help-center/what-should-i-expectcourt-video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6tuCBeRn6o
What to Expect in Juvenile Delinquency Court:
http://www.saccourt.ca.gov/juvenile/delinquency/what-to-expect.aspx
Mental Health Court Videos:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/released/inside/
http://www.ksl.com/?sid=17993037
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bTjP8cAaj4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFIDmuevXQQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFIDmuevXQQ
Officers respond to person with mental illness – National Geographic
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/videos/mentally-ill-inmate/
Officers respond to inmate with mental illness – CBS local news
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2013/11/01/video-shows-guards-pepperspraying-mentally-ill-inmates-in-california-prisons/
“The Sequential Intercept Model as an Approach to Decriminalize Persons
with Serious Mental Illness/Substance Use Disorders”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkFG-dZPFsM
Sequential Intercept Model: http://gainscenter.samhsa.gov/cmsassets/documents/145789-100379.bh-sim-brochure.pdf
Class 5
Reflection paper 4 due
Evidence-based and emerging practices at the interface of the criminal justice
and mental health systems (cont’d)
 Critical Time Intervention
 Mental health probation caseloads
 Forensic assertive community treatment
Suggested readings:
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Cuddeback, G. S., Morrissey, J. P., Cusack, K. .J., et al. (2009). Challenges
to developing Forensic Assertive Community Treatment teams. American
Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 22, 225-246.
Herman, D., Opler, L., Felix, A., Valencia, E., Wyatt, R. J., & Susser, E.
(2000). A Critical Time Intervention with mentally ill homeless men: impact on
psychiatric symptoms. Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease, 188(3), 135140.
Lamberti, J. S., Weisman, R., & Faden, D. (2004). Forensic assertive
community treatment: preventing incarceration of adults with severe mental
illness. Psychiatric Services, 55, 1285-1293.
Morrissey, J. P., Meyer, P. S., & Cuddeback, G. S. (2007). Extending ACT to
criminal justice settings: Origins, current evidence, and future directions.
Community Mental Health Journal, 43(5), 527-544.
Skeem, J. L, En candela, J., & Louden, J. E. (2003). Perspectives on
probation and mandated mental health treatment in specialized and
traditional probation departments. Behavioral Science & Law, 21(4), 429-58.
Class 6
Reflection paper 5 due
Policy issues at the interface of criminal justice and mental health
 Housing
 Benefits and entitlement programs
 Community reentry and services
Suggested readings:
Dennis, D., Lassiter, M., Connelly, W. H., & Lupfer, K. S. (2011). Helping
adults who are homeless gain disability benefits: The SSI/SSDI Outreach,
Access, and Recovery (SOAR) program. Psychiatric Services, 62(11), 1373–
1376. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.62.11.1373
Dennis, D., & Abreu, D. J. (2010). SOAR: Access to benefits enables
successful reentry. Corrections Today, 72(2), 82–85.
Videos, documentaries and web resources:
FRONTLINE: The Released
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/released/view/
Housing
http://vimeo.com/53883990
SOAR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re81Hsml6EA
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Class 7
Reflection paper 6 due
Research and evaluation at the interface of the mental health and criminal
justice systems
 Ethical issues
 Diversity and research and evaluation
 Stigma
 Disparities
 Recovery
Suggested readings:
Clark, R. E., Ricketts, S. K., & McHugo, G. J. (1999). Legal system
involvement and costs for persons in treatment for severe mental illness and
substance abuse disorders. Psychiatric Services 50(5): 641-648.
Taxman, F., & Thanner, M. (2006). Risk, Need, and Responsivity (RNR) : It
all Depends. Crime & Delinquency, 52, 28-51.
Videos, documentaries and web resources :
Stories of recovery
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/science/lives-restored-series.html?_r=0
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