Addressing Americans with Disabilities Act Obligations and Access to Care in the Justice System

Hosted by The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance

Since its inception, the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) has sought to fund innovative programs between justice entities and partnering behavioral health agencies that safely divert individuals away from the justice system while increasing access to behavioral health treatment. Beyond innovative programming, however, many JMHCP grantees may be unaware that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers mental health and substance use disorders and that it applies to public entities along the continuum of justice involvement. This webinar will begin with a brief overview of the Sequential Intercept Model, followed by a presentation on ADA requirements by the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. Attendees will then hear from current JMHCP grantees who have successfully increased access to behavioral health services across the justice system intercepts.

This webinar is part one of a four-part series of webinars addressing civil rights and equity issues in the justice system. The CSG Justice Center will host additional webinars in the series through the summer of 2024. Other planned topics in the series include (1) engaging people with lived experience in justice system programming; (2) providing gender-responsive services and equitable diversion access; and (3) creating a supportive culture in jails.

Speakers:

• Dustin E. Bartley, Senior Policy Analyst, Behavioral Health, The Council of State Governments Justice Center
• Haley Van Erem, Trial Attorney, Civil Rights Division, Special Litigation Section, U.S. Department of Justice
• Curtis L. Graves, Sr., Director of Strategic Initiatives, City of Mobile Police Department
• Cindy Gipson, Associate Director, Crisis Services, AltaPointe Health
• Edward L. Buntin, Jail Lieutenant, Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office
• Stephanie Turner, Forensic Program Manager, Behavioral Health and Justice Division, City of Philadelphia
• Kelly Greenewald, Regional Reentry Coordinator, YesCare
• Jacinta Reason-Johnson, Behavioral Health Reentry Coordinator, YesCare
• Gary Cuddeback, Interim Dean and Professor, Associate Dean for Research, Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs Work, Virginia Commonwealth University