Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System: Constructing a Comprehensive and Competent Criminal Justice/Mental Health Treatment System

2012 Annual Meeting in Tampa, FL, April 29-May 2

Making Sense of Antidepressants: An Evidence-Based Approach to the Controversies

The controversies surrounding the use of antidepressants in the treatment of depressive disorders have rocked the world of psychiatry. From black box warnings to heated debates about efficacy in leading medical journals, this topic is sure to be timely and thought provoking. Nassir Ghaemi, MD, MPH will present Making Sense of Antidepressants: An Evidence-Based Approach to the Controversies on Sunday. Dr. Ghaemi is a world renowned leader in the treatment of mood disorders and author of A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness. After his presentation, you will have the chance to meet with Dr. Ghaemi and purchase a signed copy of this provocative book! Right now you can watch an interview with Dr. Ghaemi on The Colbert Report.

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Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System: Constructing a Comprehensive and Competent Criminal Justice/Mental Health Treatment System

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Session Summary

The deinstitutionalization of psychiatric facilities has been a major factor that has led to the current crisis of the criminalization of the mentally ill. Judge Steven Leifman, a Miami-Dade County Judge who has also served as Special Advisor on Criminal Justice and Mental Health for the Supreme Court of Florida, is responsible for chairing the Court’s Mental Health Subcommittee. He and his group authored a ground-breaking report entitled, Transforming Florida’s Mental Health System.

During his presentation, Judge Leifman will discuss new and effective strategies that are being developed and employed to transform the mental health system. He will address ways that providers can assist those with mental health disorders to maneuver the criminal justice system to minimize burden. Additionally, he will discuss how pharmacists and other health care professionals can get involved in a legislative manner to help transform the mental health system.

Listen to NPR Interview with Judge Leifman

Faculty Information

Steve Leifman, JD

View biographical information and disclosures

Steve Leifman, JD
Associate Administrative Judge
Miami-Dade County Court-11th Judicial Circuit of Florida

From 2007 to 2010, Miami-Dade County Judge Steven Leifman served as Special Advisor on Criminal Justice and Mental Health for the Supreme Court of Florida. In this capacity, Judge Leifman was responsible for chairing the Court’s Mental Health Subcommittee which authored a ground-breaking report entitled, Transforming Florida’s Mental Health System.[1] This report, which has received considerable state and national recognition, outlines recommendations with the goal of decreasing inappropriate and costly involvement of people with mental illnesses in the justice system.

In October, 2010, the Chief Justice of the of the Supreme Court of Florida appointed Judge Leifman to Chair the Florida Supreme Court’s Task Force on Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues in the Court.

Due to his expertise in the areas of criminal justice and mental health, Judge Leifman has been appointed to serve in a variety of capacities on local, state, and national bodies, including Co-Chair of the Council of State Governments/TAPA Center for Jail Diversion Judges’ Criminal Justice/Mental Health Leadership Initiative, Co-Chair of the Miami-Dade County Mayor’s Mental Health Task Force, Board of Directors of the American Psychiatric Foundation, member of the National Leadership Forum for Behavioral Health and Criminal Justice Services, member of the American Bar Association Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, and a Voluntary Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami School of Medicine. In addition, Judge Leifman serves as Chair of the South Florida Behavioral Health Network and Finance Chair of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust. He also serves as the Board Chair of Florida Partners in Crisis.

In recognition of his tireless efforts, Judge Leifman has received numerous awards and acknowledgements including; the 2011 Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle Award, the 2010 Florida International University (FIU) Cal Kovens Distinguished Community Service Medallion, the 2010 Leadership Florida Distinguished Member Award, the 2009 International Community Corrections Association (ICCA) Judicial Award, the 2009 Dade County Bar Association Sookie Williams Award, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) 2008 Distinguished Service Award (NAMI National’s Highest Honor) and the 2008 Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Miami Chapter Honorable Gerald Kogan Judicial Distinction Award.

Judge Leifman has also been featured in many national and local television and radio programs regarding mental health and the criminal justice system including, CNN: Special Investigations Unit, The Criminally Insane; PBS, Minds on the Edge: Facing Mental Illness; CBS4, The Forgotten Floor and National Public Radio (NPR) All Things Considered.

[1] Available at: http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/pub_info/documents/11-14-2007_Mental_Health_Report.pdf

Grant/Research Support:

The Company?s below are funding two grant projects ? neither of which I receive any remuneration. Janssen helps fund a project known as the Judges? Leadership Initiative. The project, funded in conjunction with the American Psychiatric Foundation, helps educate judges and psychiatrist on the best practices to deal with individuals with SMI who have criminal justice involvement. BMS in conjunction with the American Psychiatric Foundation, is funding a demonstration grant in Miami-Dade County to pilot and evaluate a program for individuals with SMI who have involvement with the criminal justice system by using a coordinated, evidence-based approach to mental health services. Janssen Pharmaceutical and Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, Inc.

Learning Objectives

Describe the "deinstitutionalization" of psychiatric facilities and summarize how it has led to the criminalization of mental illness.
Discuss how the justice system has responded to the crisis of the criminalization of people with mental illnesses
Discuss new and effective strategies that are being developed and employed to transform the mental health system.
Formulate ways that providers can assist those with mental health disorders to maneuver the criminal justice system to minimize burden.
Discuss how pharmacists can get involved in a legislative manner to help transform the mental health system.

Continuing Education Credit

Activity Date: 05/02/2012
ACPE Contact Hours: 1.0
ACPE Number: 0284-9999-12-021-L04-P (Knowledge)
ACCME: 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™
Nursing Credit Reminder: Note that ACPE and ACCME credit is accepted for certification renewal.

View complete continuing education credit details

ACPE Credit

The College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. The 2012 Annual Meeting will provide up to 14 contact hours (1.4 CEUs) of knowledge- and application-based continuing education credit from CPNP approved programming. The pre-meeting workshop is provided for an additional 7 contact hours (0.7 CEUs) and when combined with all other CPNP programming, allows for a maximum achievable 18 contact hours (1.8 CEUs). Industry supported symposia offered at the Annual Meeting offer additional ACPE credit.

To receive a statement of credit, participants must verify their attendance at the programming and complete evaluations and self-assessment questions. ACPE statements of credit will be retrieved by participants online on the CPNP website within one month following the event.

CME Credit

Sponsored by the University of Arizona College of Medicine at the Arizona Health Sciences Center.

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the Joint sponsorship of The University of Arizona College of Medicine at the Arizona Health Sciences Center and the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists. The University of Arizona College of Medicine at the Arizona Health Sciences Center is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The University of Arizona College of Medicine at the Arizona Health Sciences Center designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s).™ Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nursing Credit

ACPE and ACCME approved contact hours are accepted for ANCC Certification Renewal (as quoted on the ANCC website): “Other health disciplines' continuing education hours may be used if the content is applicable to your area of certification. ACPE and ACCME are specifically listed as approved credit types.

Course Requirements

This session is presented live at the 2012 CPNP Annual Meeting. A PDF file of the slides is provided online. Access to the online PDF content is available to participants indefinitely although ACPE credit is available only through the Annual Meeting. To obtain continuing education credit, attendees of this session must confirm their attendance by completing a session evaluation within two weeks after the session. ACPE transcripts can be retrieved by participants online at cpnp.org and the credit will be automatically submitted to your account at CPE Monitor shortly after the evaluation is completed. CME statements will be issued by the end of June 2012 by the University of Arizona.

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