Managing Justice-Involved Individuals with Mental Illness: Practical Strategies for Supervision
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SESSION INFO

Tuesday, August 18, 2026
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Session Type: Workshop
Community corrections professionals frequently supervise individuals with mental illness, where behavior can be misinterpreted as willful noncompliance rather than symptom-driven impairment. This session provides a structured framework for analyzing behavior and making defensible supervision decisions. Participants will learn how symptoms such as disorganization, impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, and cognitive impairment impact follow-through, communication, and compliance. The training focuses on distinguishing noncompliance from impairment, responding to common supervision challenges, and applying practical strategies that reduce escalation while maintaining accountability. Emphasis is placed on real-world application in probation, parole, and reentry settings, with the goal of improving engagement, reducing violations, and supporting more stable outcomes.

SESSION PRESENTERS
Catherine Fliszar
Owner/Counselor/Evaluator, Peacemaker Forensic Solutions


Catherine Fliszar, LMHC, LPC is a forensic mental health professional specializing in the assessment and management of justice-involved individuals. Her work focuses on the intersection of mental health, risk, and decision-making within legal and correctional systems. She has experience working in correctional settings, family law, and complex and high-conflict cases, providing clinical insight into behavioral patterns, interpersonal interactions, and risk. Catherine regularly provides training to mental health professionals. attorneys, correctional staff, allied professionals, and others on topics related to mental health in legal contexts, including risk assessment, crisis response, and complex interpersonal dynamics. Her approach emphasizes practical, field-ready strategies that can be applied in real-world settings, particularly where mental health concerns impact behavior, engagement, and communication. She is currently completing her doctoral degree in psychology, with research interests focused on social and behavioral influences on mental health, including how these factors shape presentation, self-perception, and help-seeking.