Information Sharing in Criminal Justice-Mental Health Collaborations: Working with HIPAA and Other Privacy Laws
This report from the Council of State Governments Justice Center's Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus Project is intended to help criminal justice officials work with health professionals to better use both systems' information, when appropriate, to reduce criminal justice involvement among people with mental illnesses and to provide better links to treatment. Supported by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance, the guide explains the federal legal framework and how it relates to state laws. It describes how HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 (privacy regulations related to substance use treatment) may affect exchanges among behavioral health care; law enforcement; courts; jails and prisons; and probation and parole professionals. It reviews the circumstances under which protected health information can be released and received, and offers answers to scenario-based frequently asked questions. The guide was developed through advice from practitioners throughout the criminal justice and mental health systems, including program examples from members of the National Association of Counties.
Fifteen years after its inception, the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program (JMHCP) continues to support initiatives across…
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Federal Spending Bill Funds Key Criminal Justice Programs
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Senators Introduce Legislation to Help People with Mental Health Needs
The Council of State Governments Justice Center applauds members of the U.S.
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Apply Now for Short-Term, Free Police-Mental Health Collaboration Support in 2022
The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center invites you to apply to receive free intensive training and technical assistance (TA) through the Law Enforcement-Mental Health Collaboration Support Center. With support from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, this TA opportunity will take place through August 2022 and will involve a minimum of five formal TA contacts. These will be developed in coordination between the site receiving assistance and its CSG Justice Center TA provider. TA can include, but is not limited to, focus-group facilitation with stakeholders such as community partners, virtual or in-person training, consultation with national experts on police-mental health collaboration (PMHC) issue areas, policy review, and peer connections.
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Apply Now to Join the Aligning Health and Safety: State Policy Community of Practice
The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center will host a four-session virtual Community of Practice (CoP) focused on the state’s role in supporting local efforts to reduce the number of people with behavioral health needs in the criminal justice system
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