Arrest and emergency medical services events among participants from one of the first mental health courts. (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ray, Bradley; Bailey, Katie; Huynh, Philip; Carl, Alexis; Alton, Madison
• Is Part Of: International journal of law and psychiatry. Volume 73(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: Mental health courts -- EMS; Forensic psychiatry -- Periodicals; Insanity (Law) -- Periodicals; Criminal psychology -- Periodicals; Forensic Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatrie médico-légale -- Périodiques; Aliénation mentale -- Périodiques; Gerechtelijke psychiatrie; Electronic journals; 614.15
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2020.101644
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-2527

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: This study looked at, in addition to subsequent arrest, emergency medical services (EMS) events as an outcome of participation in mental health court (MHC). Methods: We linked information from participants of a MHC in Marion County, Indiana with jail booking and EMS services data. To understand programmatic impact, we looked at differences in jail bookings and EMS events within one year prior to and one year after MHC participation. We ran paired t -tests to understand whether correlations were significant. We also considered differences in outcomes between those who successfully completed MHC versus those who did not. Results: MHC participation was significantly associated with a reduction in jail bookings and EMS events in the 12 months after program participation compared to the 12 months before. When comparing MHC participant groups, a significant reduction in jail bookings is found consistently whereas a significant reduction in EMS events was found in only some participant groups: the entire MHC group and the misdemeanor-level court (PAIR) participants when they successfully completed the program. Conclusions: EMS utilization should be an outcome of consideration in evaluating the success and cost savings of MHCs. Where MHCs do not result in significantly reduced EMS events, communities should consider what individual-level and community-level factors contribute to this and adjust accordingly.