Following Intercept 0 and Intercept 1, Intercept 2 is the third in the six-stage Sequential Intercept Model, a framework for understanding how people interact with crisis response and criminal legal systems. Focusing on an early phase of the criminal legal system process, Intercept 2 poses unique opportunities for intervention and improving outcomes for people with behavioral health conditions.
What exactly is Intercept 2?
Intercept 2 focuses on the early stages of the criminal legal system process, specifically initial detention after arrest and the first court hearings. At this juncture, decisions made and practices employed by system professionals can significantly affect an individual’s future. This intercept can serve as a critical checkpoint, providing the opportunity to identify people with behavioral health conditions and direct them toward appropriate care rather than allowing them to continue further into the criminal legal system. In cases where competence to stand trial is raised, criminal legal and behavioral health professionals can consider and create diversion opportunities for these individuals across a broad range of services, including hospital admissions and community-based treatment services. By integrating behavioral health considerations at this stage, system professionals can help prevent behavioral health conditions from worsening and reduce long-term negative outcomes for the individuals experiencing them. This can also help break the cycle of repeated criminal legal system involvement caused by underlying and unaddressed behavioral health issues, supporting the individual’s progress toward recovery while decreasing both the burden on the system and the negative impacts on the community.
What can be done at Intercept 2 to improve responses to people with behavioral health conditions?
Intercept 2 presents a variety of unique opportunities:
- Early structured screening and assessment: Implementing standardized screening procedures during initial detention and early court proceedings helps ensure that those in need of behavioral health services are identified and provided with immediate access to support services.
- Timely diversion: At this stage, decision-makers can redirect individuals with underlying behavioral health conditions away from prolonged detention and toward community-based treatment options. This early diversion can prevent the escalation of behavioral health crises.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration: Bringing together law enforcement, judicial staff, and behavioral health professionals encourages a more holistic approach to the criminal legal system process. This collaboration is vital for ensuring that individuals receive both legal guidance and appropriate care.
What specific strategies can be used at Intercept 2 to address behavioral health needs?
Several effective strategies have been implemented at the Intercept 2 level:
- Early and enhanced screening protocols: Many jurisdictions now incorporate behavioral health screening tools during initial detention and early court appearances. This practice helps to quickly identify individuals who may benefit from further evaluation. The Brief Jail Mental Health Screen is one such tool.
- Judicial diversion programs: Courts increasingly use diversion programs that direct individuals with behavioral health concerns to treatment rather than incarceration. These programs often involve case management and follow-up support to ensure sustained recovery.
- Integrated behavioral health assessments: Some detention centers and courts have partnered with behavioral health professionals who can conduct onsite evaluations, ensuring that behavioral health needs are identified and addressed immediately.
- Pre-court interventions: Initiatives such as pre-court interventions offer counseling and crisis stabilization before formal court proceedings begin. This proactive approach helps reduce the likelihood of further deterioration of an individual’s behavioral health.
- Interagency training: Continuous training for detention staff and court personnel on the recognition of mental health issues ensures that the initial interactions are trauma-informed and compassionate, fostering a more supportive environment.
What do these strategies look like in practice?
Here are a couple of examples of Intercept 2 strategies in different communities.
- In Kansas, Johnson County staff administer the Brief Jail Mental Health Screen to all individuals booked into jail. When the individual’s response indicates symptoms of a serious mental illness, the Johnson County Mobile Crisis Response Team provides outreach and referrals to needed services. This screening and outreach method has produced results, reducing recidivism and increasing participation in related mental health services.
- In New York, the Buffalo Opioid Intervention Court is a judicially supervised triage program that identifies individuals at risk for opioid overdose at arraignment and provides treatment services within 24 hours. Treatment plans can include a range of relevant supports, including medication-assisted treatment, mental health treatment, support groups, employment assistance, job readiness programs, and other educational programming. An evaluation report of the court’s results noted a 50% drop in the death rate among opioid users, lower recidivism, and societal cost savings of more than $300,000 per participant.
What is the future outlook for Intercept 2 in addressing behavioral health needs among people who have been arrested?
As interventions at the early stages of the criminal legal system process continue to evolve, Intercept 2 holds great promise. Key developments on the horizon include the following:
- Increased investment: With growing recognition of the benefits of early behavioral health intervention, more resources are expected to be allocated to improving screening tools, training, and diversion programs.
- Technological integration: Emerging technologies, such as digital screening platforms and data analytics, can enhance the accuracy and efficiency of behavioral health assessments during detention and court proceedings.
- Policy reforms: Ongoing efforts to reform legal and procedural frameworks may support greater flexibility in diverting individuals with behavioral health conditions from the traditional criminal legal system process.
- Expanded collaborative networks: Strengthening partnerships between law enforcement, judicial systems, and community-based behavioral health providers will continue to improve coordinated responses, ensuring that interventions are both timely and effective.
Intercept 2 offers a pivotal opportunity to reshape the criminal-legal process by integrating behavioral health considerations during initial detention and early court hearings. By learning from existing targeted strategies, tailoring them to localities’ needs, and embracing future innovations, the system can evolve to better serve people in crisis, ultimately fostering better outcomes for individuals and communities.