For this week’s Conference ConNEctions, speakers discuss the variety of support functions available to persons reentering society after being released from incarceration. Non-profit volunteers use a partnership with local police to reduce recidivism and let people in need know that they're not alone.
Presentations by Kasey Moyer (Executive Director at Mental Health Association of NE), Mike Woolman (Captain, Lincoln Police Department), and Jasmine Harris, MPH, CHES (Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at RISE). Moderated by John Turner (Manager of Community Development and Research at NIFA).
Kasey Moyer (Mental Health Association of NE) and Mike Woolman (Lincoln Police Department):
The Mental Health Association of NE is an organization of peers living with mental health issues, substance use, and histories of trauma and incarceration
Presentations by Kasey Moyer (Executive Director at Mental Health Association of NE), Mike Woolman (Captain, Lincoln Police Department), and Jasmine Harris, MPH, CHES (Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at RISE). Moderated by John Turner (Manager of Community Development and Research at NIFA).
Kasey Moyer (Mental Health Association of NE) and Mike Woolman (Lincoln Police Department):
The Mental Health Association of NE is an organization of peers living with mental health issues, substance use, and histories of trauma and incarceration
- 33% of staff identifies as LGBTQ
- 34% non-white
- 23% have diagnosed schizophrenia
- 11% worked themselves off of Social Security
- 36% were previously incarcerated
- A comfortable, clean and furnished four-bedroom home in a quiet and safe neighborhood
- Self-help and proactive recovery tools to regain and maintain wellness
- Staffed 24/7 with trained Peer Specialists
- 800 unduplicated guests age 19 and older with an average stay of 5 days
- Peer-operated respite 24/7
- New facility opened Summer 2018
- Serves peers within 18 months of release from Department of Corrections, Parole, Post-Release, or Probation who live with significant mental health or substance abuse issues and do not wish to live on their own
- 20 individual bedrooms/14 baths
- 157 stays with an average stay of 90 days
- Open to peers who are ready to take charge of their lives
- Please reach out if you're interested in a tour of one of their facilities!
- 350 commissioned personnel +11 recruits
- 518 total personnel
- 3,169 mental health investigations in 2019 (so far in 2020, up about 20%)
- LPD refers people with mental illness for voluntary help provided by trained Peer Specialists who have lived experience with mental illness and/or substance abuse
- 4,000 referrals since 2011
- Current average of 5 or more referrals per week from LPD
- Other referrals from physicians, bus drivers, landlords, elected officials, other law enforcement, family and self
- More than 320 (over 90%) LPD officers have referred to MHA
- Recovery model
- Diversion from higher levels of care
- How it works:
- Responding officer determines that a R.E.A.L. Program referral is appropriate and emails MHA-NE to describe contact, explain relevant mental health issues, and provide contact information
- Peer Specialist contacts the consumer within 24 hours with an offer of free, voluntary, and non-clinical support
"What the peers do offer is credibility and empathy. These are people individuals that have been in these persons' shoes… one of our detectives who does a lot of the mental health teaching calls the peers "living, breathing business cards.'" - Capt. Woolman
- Other Community Partners: Bryan Health Hospitals, St Elizabeth's Hospital, The Bridge Behavioral Health — Treatment Center and Detox, Targeted Adult Service Coordination (TASC), Partners In Empowerment and Recovery (PIER)
Jasmine Harris (RISE)
RISE focuses on character development, employment readiness, and entrepreneurship training
- Healthy thinking patterns
- Positive relationships
- Positive social engagement
- Meaningful work trajectories
- Effective coping strategies
RISE: Effort and Impact
- Large systems (e.g., healthcare systems, policy, law and legislation, political subsystems)
- Medium systems (e.g., neighborhoods, schools, communities)
- Contained systems (e.g., individuals, families)
"We cannot program ourselves out of our situation… Until our communities are ready to accept people after they're coming back from incarceration, there are going to continue to be barriers."
