According to a 2024 article from the National Institute of Justice, approximately 2 million women are released from jails or prisons annually. Due to their unique pathways to offending and distinct experiences within the criminal justice system compared to men, women often face heightened vulnerability to crises during reentry. These vulnerabilities may arise from unmet needs related to complex trauma, substance use, mental illness, and co-occurring disorders. The reentry planning phase represents a critical opportunity for collaboration between criminal justice and behavioral health agencies to implement gender-responsive strategies tailored to the specific treatment and crisis response needs of women.
During this webinar, participants will learn from the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center and the National Resource Center on Justice-Involved Women about effective gender-responsive and trauma-informed reentry planning strategies, as well as crisis response interventions.
Presenters will emphasize the importance of integrating peers and using culturally responsive screening and assessments to ensure effective connections to care. There will be a question-and-answer period.
Speakers:
- Erica King, Senior Manager, Center for Effective Public Policy, National Resource Center on Justice-Involved Women
- Niara Boyd-Watson, Senior Policy Analyst, Behavioral Health, CSG Justice Center
- Kristie Puckett, Gender Justice Policy Advisor, Center for Effective Public Policy, National Resource Center on Justice-Involved Women