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Probation Officers’ and Supervisors’ Perspectives on Critical Resources for Implementing Specialty Mental Health Probation

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Abstract

This paper presents the results of a qualitative study designed to explore and identify the resources that probation officers need to implement specialized mental health probation caseloads, a promising practice that enhances mental health treatment engagement and reduces recidivism among people with mental illnesses. Our research team conducted a directed content analysis guided by the Practical, Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM) to analyze qualitative interviews with 16 specialty mental health probation officers and their supervising chiefs. Results indicated five components and resources related to multiple PRISM constructs: (1) meaningfully reduced caseload sizes (intervention design), (2) officers’ ability to build rapport and individualize probation (organizational staff characteristics), (3) specialized training that is offered regularly (implementation and sustainability infrastructure), (4) regular case staffing and consultation (implementation and sustainability infrastructure), and (5) communication and collaboration with community-based providers (external environment). Agencies implementing specialized mental health probation approaches should pay particular attention to selecting officers and chiefs and establishing the infrastructure to implement and sustain specialty mental health probation.

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Data Availability

The qualitative data generated and analyzed in this study are not publicly available because study participants voluntarily participated under the agreement that their data would be anonymized. Full interview transcripts, though de-identified, may still permit individuals to be identified due to the provision of other details including work place, years of service, and participation in specific training. Excerpts of qualitative data are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Stacey Burgin, Alex Lombardi, Alina Mason, and Reah Siegel for assistance with data collection and analysis.

Funding

This qualitative study was funded by the Fahs Beck Fund for Research and Experimentation. The parent study was funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (2015-SM-BX-0004). In addition, the first and second authors are supported by the Lifespan/Brown Criminal Justice Research Training Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill School of Social Work, Chapel Hill, USA

    Tonya B. Van Deinse, Charlotte Dunn, Jessamyn Weis & Gary Cuddeback

  2. Evans Center for Implementation and Improvement Sciences, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

    Erika L. Crable

  3. Department of Health Law, Policy & Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Erika L. Crable

  4. Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, Chapel Hill, USA

    Gary Cuddeback

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  1. Tonya B. Van Deinse
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  2. Erika L. Crable
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  3. Charlotte Dunn
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  4. Jessamyn Weis
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  5. Gary Cuddeback
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Correspondence to Tonya B. Van Deinse.

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Van Deinse, T.B., Crable, E.L., Dunn, C. et al. Probation Officers’ and Supervisors’ Perspectives on Critical Resources for Implementing Specialty Mental Health Probation. Adm Policy Ment Health 48, 408–419 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-020-01081-8

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