The Michigan Supreme Court (MSC), with support from the National Center for State Courts, will present three local workshops across Michigan in May and June on using the Sequential Intercept Mapping (SIM) process, which focuses on helping individuals with behavioral health needs who are involved in (or at risk of entering) the criminal justice system. The SIM workshops, which will be hosted by local judges, will bring together stakeholders who intersect in criminal justice and behavioral health to collaborate on how best to divert such individuals into treatment; identify resources, gaps, and challenges; and create an action plan to move forward.
“Bringing together leaders in behavioral health and the justice system is essential to ensuring that individuals with significant needs are connected to treatment rather than cycling deeper into the criminal justice system,” said MSC Chief Justice Megan K. Cavanagh. “These SIM workshops will help communities identify gaps, strengthen collaboration, and build sustainable pathways that promote both public safety and individual well-being.”
The upcoming SIM workshops include:
• May 13-14 in Mackinac County, hosted by Chief Judge Beth A. Gibson (92nd District Court)
• June 1-2 in Kent County, hosted by Chief Judge Deborah L. McNabb (17th Circuit Court)
[Note: Kent Co. will focus on juvenile mapping, which is called Upstream, not SIM.]
• June 16-17 in Macomb County, hosted by Judge Julie Gatti (16th Circuit Court)
The judges will convene decision-makers from law enforcement, hospitals, mental health agencies, jails, corrections, and county prosecutors’ offices across each intercept point in the system. Additional stakeholders may include schools, shelters, food banks, legal guardians ad litem, and foster care representatives.
Sequential Intercept Mapping is a conceptual model used to inform community-based responses to the involvement of people with mental and substance use disorders in contact with the criminal justice system. The mapping process helps to identify key “intercepts,” ranging from crisis care through law enforcement, courts, and reentry.
The goals of the SIM process are to:
• Identify system gaps and existing resources.
• Develop strategies to divert individuals from entering the justice system.
• Prevent further progression through the system, if entry does occur.
• Reduce recidivism by ensuring individuals do not cycle back through the system.
The upcoming workshops build on previous efforts that began in Wayne County, where SIM workshops have been conducted multiple times for adults and juveniles.
To learn more about behavioral health efforts in the Michigan judiciary, visit www.courts.michigan.gov/administration/special-initiatives/behavioral-health.
“Bringing together leaders in behavioral health and the justice system is essential to ensuring that individuals with significant needs are connected to treatment rather than cycling deeper into the criminal justice system,” said MSC Chief Justice Megan K. Cavanagh. “These SIM workshops will help communities identify gaps, strengthen collaboration, and build sustainable pathways that promote both public safety and individual well-being.”
The upcoming SIM workshops include:
• May 13-14 in Mackinac County, hosted by Chief Judge Beth A. Gibson (92nd District Court)
• June 1-2 in Kent County, hosted by Chief Judge Deborah L. McNabb (17th Circuit Court)
[Note: Kent Co. will focus on juvenile mapping, which is called Upstream, not SIM.]
• June 16-17 in Macomb County, hosted by Judge Julie Gatti (16th Circuit Court)
The judges will convene decision-makers from law enforcement, hospitals, mental health agencies, jails, corrections, and county prosecutors’ offices across each intercept point in the system. Additional stakeholders may include schools, shelters, food banks, legal guardians ad litem, and foster care representatives.
Sequential Intercept Mapping is a conceptual model used to inform community-based responses to the involvement of people with mental and substance use disorders in contact with the criminal justice system. The mapping process helps to identify key “intercepts,” ranging from crisis care through law enforcement, courts, and reentry.
The goals of the SIM process are to:
• Identify system gaps and existing resources.
• Develop strategies to divert individuals from entering the justice system.
• Prevent further progression through the system, if entry does occur.
• Reduce recidivism by ensuring individuals do not cycle back through the system.
The upcoming workshops build on previous efforts that began in Wayne County, where SIM workshops have been conducted multiple times for adults and juveniles.
To learn more about behavioral health efforts in the Michigan judiciary, visit www.courts.michigan.gov/administration/special-initiatives/behavioral-health.
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