Treatment is Crime Control: Nebraska’s Probation Approach to Behavioral Health

Go Back

2:15 pm - 3:45 pm

---

Nebraska’s Administrative Office of Probation has successfully integrated behavioral health into its criminal and juvenile justice systems in an effort to improve outcomes and reduce recidivism. Led by the Director of Rehabilitative Services, a team of specialists is responsible for development, in-system training, and implementation of behavioral health and supportive (nonclinical) services for their adult and youth clients within Probation and Problem-Solving Courts. These services are delivered by a network of registered service providers who obtain specialized training to better understand the risks and needs of justice-involved individuals. Presenters will give an overview of Nebraska’s shift to this behavioral health focus. They will describe how the current structure came to be and then focus on the key components of their behavioral health integration efforts (treatment officers, peer support, specialized training, etc.), with the goal of assisting workshop participants in applying these concepts in their own communities.