Substance Use and Mental Health Outcomes for Justice-Involved Individuals in Delaware

• In Event: Impact of Criminal Legal System Involvement on Drug Use and Other Health Outcomes

Abstract

Delaware is one of many states that continues to focus on the intersection between substance use, mental health, and criminal justice involvement. Prior research has shown that justice involved adults have higher rates of mental illness and substance use disorder (Han. 2020). Since 2018, Delaware’s state agencies and police departments have launched initiatives to divert people in need of treatment away from the justice system. Accordingly, this follow up study focuses on clients with justice system involvement receiving publicly funded services from Delaware’s Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH). Using data collected at three timepoints (admission, 6 months later, and discharge) from 2022-2024, we examined how justice system involvement (e.g. being on probation, or having recent arrests pre-admission) relates to client outcomes such as abstinence from substance use, re-arrest, and mental health. Researchers looked at over 3,000 clients, of which a least 37% had justice system involvement at admission. This analysis focused on both demographic factors and service types and what may be correlated with those differences in client outcomes. This analysis will help identify patterns and points for further analysis around how mental health and substance use services may achieve better outcomes for justice-involved populations.

Authors

• Solange Ealy, University of Delaware, Center for Drug & Health Studies

• Kris Fraser, DSAMH

• Candace Wilkinson, DSAMH

• Michelle Illescas, University of Delaware, Center for Drug & Health Studies

• Laura Bayona-Roman, University of Delaware, Center for Drug & Health Studies

• Claire Wang, DSAMH

• Loretta Addo-Danso, University of Delaware, Center for Drug & Health Studies