NCJ Number
249235
Date Published
May 2015
Length
161 pages
Annotation
Based on input from a national group of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, this handbook prepares individuals to be facilitators for an interdisciplinary curriculum that trains individuals and groups in how to develop a mental health court.
Abstract
Users of this curriculum have online access to at least 32 hours of training materials. Through a mixture of online presentations from national experts and experienced practitioners, as well as in-person activities intended for local groups, the curriculum is an accessible training tool for individuals and groups tasked with developing a mental health court. This curriculum's handbook for facilitators first discusses research on adult learning that informed the development of the curriculum, and examples are provided of how these principles can be applied in training events. The handbook then provides more detail on the role of the facilitator, what makes a facilitator effective, and the ways in which a facilitator can deliver training that reflects adult learning principles. This is followed by guidance on how to plan for and lead effective training sessions and a discussion of ways of identifying sections of the curriculum that are appropriate for the community in which the mental health court is to be developed. Guides are provided for each of the curriculum's eight modules. The module titles are "Understanding Mental Health Courts;" "Your Community, Your Mental Health Court;" "The Mental Health Court Team;" "Target Population;" "Designing Policies and Procedures for Program Participation;" "Case Planning;" "Facilitating the Success of Mental Health Court Participants;" and "Launching and Sustaining Your Program." The handbook concludes with guidance on reinforcing the training and descriptions of strategies that support the uptake and application of the training. Appended supplementary training aids