The research study, led by Dr. Jennifer Skeem and Dr. Sarah Manchak, focused on the Specialty Mental Health Probation program in Texas. This program was designed for individuals on probation with mental illnesses, aiming to reduce community supervision failures by connecting these individuals to psychiatric treatment, thus helping to prevent probation violations.

The program assigned specialty officers with relevant mental health training to manage smaller caseloads of individuals with mental health diagnoses. These officers worked closely with treatment providers, coordinating resources, and employing collaborative problem-solving techniques to ensure compliance.

The study’s findings indicate that individuals under this specialized program had significantly lower rates of technical violations and rearrests compared to those on traditional probation. They also received more mental health services and dual-diagnosis treatment. However, no significant impact was found on substance use treatment and violence rates.

This study suggests that implementing such specialized probation programs can potentially lead to better outcomes for individuals with mental illnesses, contributing to lower rates of community supervision failures and improved access to necessary mental health services.