NCT02990026

Specialty Mental Health Probation in North Carolina

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 311 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 21 Years – 64 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Specialty mental health probation for offenders with severe mental illness has been widely disseminated; however, randomized studies are needed to determine its effectiveness. The purpose of the study is to test the feasibility and efficacy of specialty mental health probation (SMHP) for probationers with mental illness in North Carolina. 320 adult probationers with mental illness in will be randomly assigned to specialty mental health probation (experimental condition) or usual probation (control condition). Probationers assigned to the experimental condition will be supervised by specialty mental health probation officers, who will have reduced caseloads and advanced training in mental health and other topics. Probationers assigned to the control condition will receive standard probation. Criminal justice and mental health outcomes will be examined.

Detailed description

Specialty mental health probation for offenders with severe mental illness has been widely disseminated; however, randomized studies are needed to determine its effectiveness. The purpose of the study is to test the feasibility and efficacy of specialty mental health probation (SMHP) for probationers with mental illness in North Carolina. 320 adult probationers with severe mental illness in will be randomly assigned to receive specialty mental health probation (experimental condition) or standard probation (control condition). Probationers assigned to the experimental condition will be supervised by specialty mental health probation officers, who will have reduced caseloads and advanced training in mental health and other topics. Probationers assigned to the control condition will receive standard probation. Criminal justice and mental health outcomes will be examined.

Conditions

• Mental Illness
• Substance Use
• Criminal Behavior

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Specialty Mental Health Probation	Specialty mental health probation includes the following components: (1) exclusively mentally ill caseload of probationers; (2) reduced caseload of 40-45 probationers; (3) problem-solving supervision orientation; (4) ongoing training and consultation; and (5) greater connection with local mental health services

Timeline

• Start date: 2016-09-22
• Primary completion: 2019-09-30
• Completion: 2019-09-30
• First posted: 2016-12-12
• Last updated: 2020-03-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States