1. Housing and the Justice Involved
Robert K. Merwine – Director PCCD’s Office of Criminal Justice System Improvements
Honorable John Zottola – Judge of Court of Common Pleas, Allegheny County
Patty Griffin, PhD. – Senior Consultant PA Mental Health and Justice Center of Excellence
Terry Moloney Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
June 14, 2013

2. Who Are We and What Do We Do?
Pennsylvania Commission on Crime
and Delinquency (PCCD)
Who Are We and What Do We Do?
State Administering Agency (SAA) for the Commonwealth.
Serves as the justice planning agency for Pennsylvania and administers federal and state justice funds.
PCCD administers approximately $100 million annually to support initiatives in the areas of Victim Services, Juvenile Justice, and Criminal Justice.

3. to reduce crime and victimization.
PCCD Mission
The mission of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency is to enhance the quality of criminal and juvenile justice systems, facilitate the delivery of services to victims of crime and assist communities to develop and implement strategies
to reduce crime and victimization.

4. PCCD – Advisory Committees
Mark R Zimmer
Chairman
Research, Evaluation, Data Collection, and Analysis Advisory Committee
(REDCAAC)
Criminal Justice Population Projections Committee
(CJPPC)
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee
(JJDPC)
Criminal Justice Advisory Committee
(CJAC)
Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee
(MHJAC)
Victims Services Advisory Committee
(VSAC)
Senior Citizens Advisory Committee
(SCAC)
06/2013

5. PCCD - OCJSI Office of Criminal Justice System Improvements
Bureau of Training Services
Constables
Deputy Sheriffs
Technology
Office of Criminal Justice System Improvements
County Planning Unit
Grants Administration
Re-entry Unit
Law Enforcement Unit

6. Criminal Justice Advisory Boards (CJABs) and Housing
CJABs are groups of top-level county officials which address criminal justice issues from a systemic and policy level perspective. CJABs study best practices in the administration and delivery of criminal justice and recommend ways in which public agencies can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the criminal justice system within a county.
In 2008, PCCD through its work with CJABs, identified the issue of individuals with mental illness languishing in county prisons.

7. PCCD and the Office of Mental Health
and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS)
In an effort to address the issue of justice-involved individuals with mental illness, PCCD partnered with Department of Public Welfare (DPW) / OMHSAS.
Through this new found partnership, the following initiatives were funded:
Ten Mental Health Courts;
Mental Health Procedures Act (MHPA) Training;
Statewide Forensic Peer Support Training;
Forensic Peer Support Training at Department of Corrections; and
Five County Housing projects.

8. PCCD and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
In 2011, PCCD awarded in excess of $700,000 to support housing initiatives in the following five counties:
Fayette County – Housing and Support Services;
Greene County – Master Leasing project;
Montgomery County – Master Leasing project;
Philadelphia – Master Leasing; and
Union County – Justice Bridge Housing program.

9. Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania
PCCD and the
Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania
Since 2011, PCCD and OMHSAS have worked in conjunction with the Housing Alliance to co-sponsor the Homes Within Reach Conference to raise awareness among the housing community.

10. Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania
PCCD and the
Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania
Conference topics included:
Coming Home – A Veteran’s Perspective
Times Up – Planning for Successful Re-entry
The Unspoken Reality - Housing and Supervision of Sex Offenders
Housing and Justice for All
In addition, successful county housing initiatives were highlighted.

11. Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee (MHJAC)
Honorable John Zottola,
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Allegheny County

12. Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee (MHJAC)
MHJAC, Chaired by Judge Zottola, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, was created in July 2009, to provide guidance and structure and ensure that Pennsylvania's criminal justice/mental health activities are coordinated across the state and that counties receive the guidance and support necessary to implement effective responses.

13. Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee (MHJAC)
MHJAC membership includes representatives from state agencies, county leadership, the courts, district attorneys, public defenders, consumers and families, and other criminal justice and mental health advocates and practitioners from across the Commonwealth.

14. MHJAC Housing Subcommittee
To address the issue of lack of housing for the target population, a Housing Subcommittee was formed under MHJAC to help guide the Committee’s efforts in identifying and promoting best practices.

15. Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee (MHJAC)
Senate Bill 128

16. Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee (MHJAC)
European / American Prison Project

17. Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee (MHJAC)
One major initiative established through MHJAC, was the creation of the Mental Health and Justice Center of Excellence (CoE).
The CoE was established in November 2009, through a competitive grant application process and awarded to Drexel University, to reduce justice involvement for people with mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders by working with Pennsylvania’s communities to identify points at which an interception can be made to prevent this group from entering deeper into the justice system.

18. Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee (MHJAC)
The CoE is a collaboration between Drexel University’s Department of Psychology and University of Pittsburgh’s Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic.

19. Patty Griffin, PhD Pennsylvania MH & Justice Center of Excellence
Housing Needs for Criminal Justice/ Behavioral Health Populations In Pennsylvania
Patty Griffin, PhD
Pennsylvania MH & Justice Center of Excellence

20. National Picture
High rates of people with serious mental illness being admitted to our jails
Most recent research (Steadman, Osher, et al, 2009):
Estimates 16.9% of all jail admissions have a serious mental illness
14.5% of males
31.0% of females
Three to six times the prevalence of serious mental illness in the general population
High rates of co-occurring substance use disorders and other challenges including trauma, medical problems, and homelessness
Long lengths of stay in jail and significant criminal recidivism
Many challenges for behavioral health, criminal justice, social services, and housing systems
Especially in finding ways to collaborate effectively to address this issue

21. Cross-Systems Mapping
Workshops

23. Workshop Tasks Nurture cross-system collaboration Map the local system
Inventory current resources, gaps, and opportunities
Agree on priorities
Build an Action Plan

24. Day 1: Creating a Local Cross-Systems Map
Brings together key stakeholders to tap into local expertise
Partnership with local Criminal Justice Advisory Board
Creates a local map using the Sequential Intercept Model
Visually depicts local system
Identifies:
Existing local services and processes
Gaps in services
Strengths to build upon --- opportunities and resources
Data
Issues considered important to local stakeholders
Helps everyone see the “big picture” and how they fit
Helps diverse groups from various systems understand where/how everything fits
Intercepts provide manageable venues and opportunities for systems interventions

26. Sequential Intercept Model Five Key Points of Interception
Law enforcement / Emergency services
Booking / Initial court hearings
Jails / Courts
Re-entry
Community corrections / Community support
Munetz & Griffin, 2006

28. Blair County Cross Systems Map

30. Blair County - Top 8 Priorities
Development of a Mental Health Court (20 Votes)
Determine when assessments are needed
Housing (18)
Disperse assessments to the correct individuals
Mental Health First Aid (16)
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Development (9)
Access to medication and psychiatric appointments upon re-entry (15)
Expediting access to Medical Assistance Benefits (8)
Sobering Stations (12)
Level of Care Behavioral Health Assessments as early as possible in the criminal justice system (10)

31. Cross Systems Mapping Workshops
What We’ve Learned About Pennsylvania
Cross Systems Mapping Workshops

32. Common Gaps in Services
Intercept 1
Law enforcement agencies are interested in mental health training but have limited time for training
Law enforcement officers spend hours waiting with individuals at local hospital
Lack of detoxification and sobering services
Intercept 2
Lack of pretrial services
Problems with video arraignment equipment
Intercept 3
Many jail admissions requiring detoxification
Limited treatment staff
Medical Assistance benefits terminated after admission
Intercept 4
Significant gaps in aftercare medication
Limited continuity of care
Limited re-entry efforts
Few systematic efforts to reinstate or start Medial Assistance
and/or Social Security benefits
Intercept 5
Not enough housing

33. Most Common County Priorities
Develop and/or expand training at Intercept One
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
Mental Health First Aid
Formalize detoxification procedure
Reduce strain on hospitals, jails, and law enforcement
Improve continuity of care from local jails to community
Aftercare Meds
Re-activation of benefits
Psychiatric Appointments
Expand housing options
Improve information sharing across systems

34. Common Gaps in Housing
Some individuals stay longer in jail because they do not have housing available (“Our County Jail becomes our housing unit for the mentally ill”)
Very limited accessible housing options for the forensic SMI population
Housing Authority do not except applications from felonies and long waiting period for applicants with misdemeanors
Rely heavily on private landlords that are often unwilling to take this population
Many state inmates max out because they can’t develop a home plan (no housing)
County MH/MR funding cuts have decreased local behavioral health services, especially in the Forensic Housing Program

35. Counties Next Steps/Action Plans for Housing
York County:
Develop a clearer picture of the housing needs for currently incarcerated population (York)
Identify how many currently incarcerated individuals were homeless prior to arrest
Look at the folks currently seeking housing each month (from the jail) and examine the breakdown of mental health and substance use needs
Begin to identify housing needs during intake (develop specific code for ‘homeless’)
Look at how many parole plans are denied because of lack of housing
Examine specific housing needs of MH Court participants

36. Counties Next Steps/Action Plans for Housing
9 counties --- Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, Warren
Master Leasing/Bridge Subsidy Program
Designed to house individuals ineligible for other federal housing (including those ineligible due to previous criminal activity)
Bridge subsidies to keep individuals housed while working with case managers to develop plan for permanent housing
Contact: Penny Campbell

37. Counties’ Next Steps/Action Plans for Housing
Westmoreland County:
A Local Housing Options Team (LHOT) meets on a regular basis to coordinate housing services.
The LHOT brings together stakeholders in the community to identify gaps and barriers to housing for targeted and complex populations and works towards using existing resources in the community and developing new ones to meet the housing needs of the county.

38. Ways CoE Can help – Technical Assistance
Specialized searches of resources
Educational sessions for multiple locales
Hands-on assistance to individual locales
Data collection, data management and program evaluation
Data analysis assistance
Consultation regarding reporting
Fostering peer-to-peer networks, state-wide, and nationally

39. Ways CoE Can Help – Resource Website
Links to relevant and important information
Practical tools
Funding announcements
Data collection/management tools
County-specific information
Links to census and crime data
Program information
Reports from the mapping workshops
Forum for cross-county communication

41. Final Report Cross-systems picture Available for wide distribution
Drexel University &
University of Pittsburgh
Blair County
Report of the Cross-Systems Mapping Workshop
June 8th and 9th , 2011
Transforming Services for Persons with Mental Illness in Contact with the Criminal Justice System
Cross-systems picture
Available for wide distribution
Provided in PDF and Word formats
County-Specific Narrative for each intercept
Gaps and Opportunities
Action Plan
Resource for local Criminal Justice Advisory Board’s planning
Support for future funding applications
Reference/resource materials included

42. Pennsylvania Mental Health and Justice
For more information:
Pennsylvania Mental Health and Justice
Center of Excellence
Patty Griffin, PhD, Senior Consultant

43. Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS)
Terry Moloney Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

44. Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS)
OMHSAS provides community alternatives to Pennsylvanians with SMI, including those at risk of homelessness and involvement with the Criminal Justice System.

45. Housing and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS)
PA continues to make strides in addressing the unnecessary institionalization of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) in state psychiatric hospitals.
The census in PA’s state psychiatric hospitals has declined dramatically from 35,100 in 1966 to about 1,600 in 2012.
We recognize that many individuals with SMI can live successfully in the community if they have appropriate supports and services.

46. Housing and OMHSAS
OMHSAS provides community alternatives to Pennsylvanians with mental illness, including those at risk of homelessness and those involved in the criminal justice system.
During the past 5 years, OMHSAS has implemented a Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Initiative that utilizes local, state, and federal resources to expand affordable, supportive housing and residential programs for adults.
53 counties have made reinvestment resources available as part of the OMHSAS Permanent Supportive Housing initiative.

47. Housing Reinvestment Strategies
OMHSAS
Housing Reinvestment Strategies
Between —Counties have reinvested approximately $102 million in OMHSAS approved housing strategies – including $33 million in capital funds, and $32 million in Bridge and Master Leasing Subsidies.
Counties vary significantly in the percentages of those serviced who come from the targeted populations, i.e. people in institutions or community residential programs, homeless youth aging out of child serving systems, and the forensic population.
Since April 2012, fully or partial reinvestment-funded housing programs have served approximately 3,000 households.

48. Reinvestment Strategy - Bridge Subsidy
OMHSAS
Reinvestment Strategy - Bridge Subsidy
Bridge—Short term tenant based rental subsidy intended from the start to be a “bridge” to more permanent housing.
Counties have committed funds for 686 bridge rental subsidies. Of that number 223 have been funded and are being placed in service in 2012.

49. Reinvestment Strategy - Master Leasing
OMHSAS
Reinvestment Strategy - Master Leasing
Master Leasing—Leasing units from private owners and subleasing—and subsidizing these units to consumers.
Master leasing is often used for consumers with criminal histories or poor tenancy histories.
11 counties have arranged for 331 people to get rental units through master leasing programs.

50. Reinvestment Strategy - Capital
OMHSAS
Reinvestment Strategy - Capital
The use of Reinvestment funds as capital financing to create targeted permanent supportive housing units.
Ten county programs and the 23 Behavioral Health county contract option program have committed funds to capital projects.

51. Other Housing Reinvestment Strategies
OMHSAS
Other Housing Reinvestment Strategies
Housing Support Services – Temporary funding for support services until permanent funds can be identified.
Contingency Funds – For one-time and emergency costs such as security deposits for apartments or utilities, or to pay back rent or utility costs.
Clearinghouse – To manage outreach and referral
to one of the reinvestment housing options.

52. Questions?

53. Staff Contact Info
PCCD
Robert Merwine or
Jackie Weaknecht or
OMHSAS
Terry Moloney or