Glossaries

9-1-1 Emergency

9-1-1 emergency is a system for individuals to report emergencies and request immediate assistance from law enforcement or emergency medical services.

9-8-8 Crisis Hotline

9-8-8 crisis hotline is a national emergency number for individuals to access behavioral health crisis support and resources, typically without law enforcement involvement.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)

ACEs refers to traumatic experiences in childhood such as abuse or neglect, which increase the risk of negative health outcomes.

Advisory Bodies

Advisory bodies are groups of experts who provide advice and guidance to organizations, agencies, or governments on specific topics or issues.

Advocacy Bodies

Advocacy bodies are organizations or groups that promote and protect the rights and interests of individuals with behavioral health needs within the criminal justice system.

Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI)

Alternatives to incarceration (ATI) refer to programs and interventions designed to divert individuals with behavioral health issues from the criminal justice system.

Associations

Associations refer to professional organizations or groups that bring together individuals with common interests, goals, and expertise in the criminal justice and behavioral health fields.

Behavioral Health

Behavioral health refers to the interconnectedness of mental health and substance use, and the impact on individual and community well-being.

Behavioral Health Courts

Behavioral health courts are specialized court programs that provide treatment and support to individuals with mental health and substance use disorders in the criminal justice system.

Black & African American

In criminal justice behavioral health, Black or African American refers to individuals who identify as Black, African American, or of African descent.

CIT Training

CIT training refers to specialized training for law enforcement officers to effectively and safely respond to individuals experiencing behavioral health crises.

Clients & Families

Clients-families refer to individuals receiving behavioral health services and their relatives or loved ones involved in their care and support.

Collaborations

In criminal justice behavioral health, collaborations refer to partnerships and coordinated efforts between agencies and organizations to address complex issues.

Competency

Competency refers to an individual’s ability to understand legal proceedings and make informed decisions in their criminal justice case due to their mental state.

Consulting & Technical Assistance

Consulting: technical assistance provides expert guidance and support to individuals, organizations, and systems seeking to improve their behavioral health-related practices and services.

County, State & Federal

In criminal justice behavioral health, county-state-federal refers to the overlapping jurisdictions and funding sources that influence policy and program implementation.

Courts

Courts are legal institutions that adjudicate criminal and civil disputes, including cases involving behavioral health issues such as mental illness or addiction.

Criminal Legal

Criminal legal refers to laws related to crime, arrest, prosecution, defense, and punishment, as well as the legal system and its various actors, such as judges, lawyers, and law enforcement.

Crisis Intervention Training (CIT)

In criminal justice behavioral health, Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) refers to specialized law enforcement units trained to respond to mental health crises.

Crisis Response Team (CRT)

In criminal justice behavioral health, Crisis Response Team (CIT) refers to specialized psychiatric, often non-law enforcement units trained to respond to mental health crises.

Crisis Stabilization

Crisis-stabilization refers to short-term treatment for individuals experiencing acute behavioral health crises, often used as an alternative to hospitalization.

Data, Exchange & Reporting

Data exchange reporting refers to the transfer of information between different agencies or systems to facilitate communication and collaboration in the criminal justice and behavioral health fields.

Defense – Public Defender

Public defenders are government-appointed attorneys representing individuals in criminal cases who cannot afford to hire a private attorney. Private attorneys are hired by individuals to defend them.

Demographics

Demographics refer to the statistical characteristics of a population, such as age, race, gender, income, and education, in criminal justice behavioral health.

Detention & Corrections

Detention and corrections refer to the management of individuals who are held in custody before or after trial or sentenced to incarceration.

Scroll to Top