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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02990026

Specialty Mental Health Probation in North Carolina

Specialty mental health probation for offenders with severe mental illness has been widely disseminated; however, randomized studies are needed to determine its effectiveness. The purpose of the study is to test the feasibility and efficacy of specialty mental health probation (SMHP) for probationers with mental illness in North Carolina. 320 adult probationers with mental illness in will be randomly assigned to specialty mental health probation (experimental condition) or usual probation (control condition). Probationers assigned to the experimental condition will be supervised by specialty mental health probation officers, who will have reduced caseloads and advanced training in mental health and other topics. Probationers assigned to the control condition will receive standard probation. Criminal justice and mental health outcomes will be examined.

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Key information

Conditions

Mental Illness Behavior Chemically-Induced Disorders Criminal Behavior Mental Disorders Substance Use Substance-Related Disorders

Age range

21 year–64 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27759, United States

About this study

Specialty mental health probation for offenders with severe mental illness has been widely disseminated; however, randomized studies are needed to determine its effectiveness. The purpose of the study is to test the feasibility and efficacy of specialty mental health probation (SMHP) for probationers with mental illness in North Carolina. 320 adult probationers with severe mental illness in will be randomly assigned to receive specialty mental health probation (experimental condition) or standard probation (control condition). Probationers assigned to the experimental condition will be supervised by specialty mental health probation officers, who will have reduced caseloads and advanced training in mental health and other topics. Probationers assigned to the control condition will receive standard probation. Criminal justice and mental health outcomes will be examined.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Qualifying diagnosis of severe mental illness - schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder + on probation in North Carolina + capable of passing study competency quiz administered by the research team

Exclusion criteria

  • None

Treatment and study plan

Specialty Mental Health Probation

Behavioral

Specialty mental health probation includes the following components: (1) exclusively mentally ill caseload of probationers; (2) reduced caseload of 40-45 probationers; (3) problem-solving supervision orientation; (4) ongoing training and consultation; and (5) greater connection with local mental health services

Primary outcomes

  1. Recidivism

    Time frame: 24 months

    Recidivism, probation revocation or other criminal justice events

Secondary outcomes

  1. Mental health service engagement

    Time frame: 24 months

    Administrative data from local and state mental health authorities will be accessed to assess mental health service utilization

  2. Mental health functioning

    Time frame: 6 months

    Assessment of mental health functioning - standardized measure (Symptom Checklist - SCL-10-R)

  3. Social support

    Time frame: 6 months

    Assessment of social support - standardized measure (Medical Outcomes Study - Social Support Scale [MOS])

  4. Life events checklist

    Time frame: Baseline

    Assessment of traumatic life events - standardized measure (Life Events Checklist - LEC-5 Standard)

  5. Substance use

    Time frame: 24 months

    Criminal justice contact related to substance use - via administrative records

  6. Social network (researcher-created measure of social support network)

    Time frame: 6 months

    Access and utilization of pro-social network as measured by a researcher-created instrument

  7. Dual Role Relationship Inventory (DRRI, standardized measure)

    Time frame: baseline, 6 months

    Assessment of probationer's relationship with probation officer

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Other

Collaborators

  • North Carolina Department of Public Safety

Registry information

Acronym: SMHP

Important dates

Study start
2016
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2019
First posted
Dec 12, 2016
Registry last updated
Mar 17, 2020

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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