Mental Health Treatment
What it is:
A condition that requires individuals on supervision to participate in mental health treatment. Treatment may include such services as psychological/psychiatric evaluations; individual, family, or group counseling, and medication.
How the court uses it:
To enable officers to monitor individuals on supervision who suffer from mental disease or defect, which may range from anxiety and depression to more chronic disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or pedophilia.
To provide officers with the ability and means to identify, assess, and provide care for these individuals.
The officer's duties:
Identify people on supervision with mental health problems.
– By reviewing information in case files
– By interviewing the individuals and their families
– By consulting with mental health professionals
As ordered by the court, refer them to mental health programs that provide appropriate services.
Look for any signs of danger, such as:
– Suicide threats
– Indications that they aren't taking prescribed medication
– Indication that they are withdrawing from everyday life
Take steps to control and correct the situation if people on supervision:
– Fail to take prescribed medications
– Pose a potential threat to the public– Otherwise fail to comply with their release conditions
The officer's challenges:
People on supervision who suffer from mental disorders may be:
Hampered in their ability to respond to supervision requirements, for example, by:
– Cognitive impairments
– Delusions
– Side effects from medication
More difficult to supervise
– Often requiring more intensive monitoring
– Often requiring specialized and individualized treatment
More unpredictable to supervise
– If they have a prior history of violence
– If they suffer from psychotic or substance abuse disorder
– If they fail to take prescribed medication
What the benefits are:
For people who suffer from mental disorders, supervision may
-stabilize them so that they don't present a danger to themselves or others.
-enable them to function better in the community.
-reduce the risk that they'll commit crimes in the future.
Substance Abuse Treatment
What it is:
A condition that requires people on supervision to participate in substance abuse treatment. Treatment may involve detoxification and consist of individual, family, or group counseling in an outpatient or residential setting. It also includes various methods of testing for the use of drugs.
How the court uses it:
To enable officers to monitor the use of illegal drugs, prescription drugs, or alcohol by people on supervision.
To provide officers with the ability and means to address directly the alcohol or drug abuse of these individuals and to control their behavior.
The officer's duties:
Identify people on supervision with substance abuse problems.
– By reviewing information in case files
– By interviewing the people and their families
– By observing their behavior
– By drug testing
As ordered by the court, refer them to substance abuse programs that provide appropriate services.
Arrange for surprise collection of urine samples and sample testing.
Look for any signs of drug or alcohol use.
Take steps to control and correct the situation if people on supervision:
– Submit positive specimens
– Fail to give specimens
– Give adulterated specimens
– Otherwise fail to comply with their release conditions.
The officer's challenges:
People with substance abuse problems may be especially difficult to supervise.
The impact of substance abuse can be devastating. Dependence on drugs or alcohol adversely affects the physical, mental, emotional, or social well-being of people on supervision.
There's a direct relationship between substance abuse and crime. In the interest of community safety, it's important that officers detect substance abuse and intervene quickly.
What the benefits are:
For people with substance abuse problems, supervision may motivate them to abstain from alcohol and drugs, teach them to cope without relying on these substances, and reduce the risk that they'll commit crimes in the future.