Westchester’s Behavioral Health Diversion Continuum: A Roadmap Through the Justice System

• By: Joseph A. Glazer, Esq. Michelle Hart, MA Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health
• October 12th, 2026
• behavioral health diversion, co-occurring disorders, community corrections, criminal justice, Fall 2026 Issue, mental health courts, reentry services, Sequential Intercept Model, Westchester County
• 234    0

The intersection of the criminal justice and behavioral health systems is neither a point nor a straight line. Rather, the overlap of these systems is a continuum; one in which the inflection points of systemic cross-contact can be identified and potentially addressed. The clearest tool for...

Peer Support and Case Management: Complementary, Not Interchangeable

• By: Braunwynn Franklin, BA Healthcare Admin., CPSS 313 Network Solutions, LLC
• May 1st, 2026
• behavioral health, case management, justice-involved individuals, peer support, recovery-oriented care, reentry services, trauma-informed care, workforce
• 2282    0

Across the behavioral health field, two frontline roles increasingly shape how services are delivered: case managers and peer support specialists. Both work directly with individuals navigating mental health challenges, substance use recovery, housing instability, and community reintegration. Both...

Commentary on Treating Vulnerable, Mentally Ill Patients

• By: Richard A. Sheola Health and Justice Strategies, LLC
• July 1st, 2017
• behavioral health, care coordination, criminal justice reform, diversion programs, mass incarceration, recidivism, reentry services, trauma-informed care
• 1699    0

Dr. Falconer effectively drives home the travesty of the disproportionate representation of those with serious behavioral health issues behind bars. Alarming, but not new, the “trans-institutionalization” of the 80’s and 90’s continues unabated to its tragic conclusion. She cogently...