Improving Mental Health Treatment for Individuals in Crisis Interacting With the Criminal-Legal System

This study aims to improve mental health care for people experiencing a crisis who have also interacted with the criminal justice system. Researchers are looking at three approaches: "Treatment as Usual" (TAU), which involves identifying patients through their medical records for criminal justice involvement; "FSJS," which includes documentation and follow-up by the Cambridge Police Department for mental health calls and partnerships with various community groups; and "FSJS+Navigator Intervention," which adds a community health worker with personal experience in the criminal justice and mental health systems to the FSJS approach. The study will enroll 1040 adults, aged 18 to 100, who are patients of Cambridge Health Alliance and have had police involvement between 2009 and 2025. Success will be measured by changes in medically treated suicide attempts and suicide severity and behaviors over 12 months.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 1040 participants. It compares three different approaches to mental health care.
What's involved
Not specified in the trial record.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be followed for 12 months to assess suicide attempts and behaviors.

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NCT06564948

Improving Mental Health Treatment for Individuals in Crisis Interacting With the Criminal-Legal System

Recruiting
NAAges 18+InterventionalTreatment
Cambridge Health Alliance
~1,040 participants
Updated 2026-06-04 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Treatment as usual (TAU)FSJSFSJS+Navigator Intervention

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Past-year medically treated suicide attempt at baseline and 12 months
Measured over Baseline and 12 months
+1 more outcome measured
Suicide Risk
Psychiatric Disorders
1 sites across 1 states
Massachusetts1

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

involuntarily brought to the Emergency Department for psychiatric evaluation because they are considered to be a risk to themselves or others (MA Law 123(12)); or
the subject of a police call for service for a mental health issue who are willingly admitted to the Emergency Department

Exclusion

For example, individuals will be excluded who voluntarily come to the ED seeking psychiatric care because they feel they may be a risk to themselves or others
Individuals brought to the ED from a jail or court ordered to the ED as an alternative to jail or prison
  • Past-year medically treated suicide attempt at baseline and 12 monthsBaseline and 12 months

    Number of participants with a past-year medically treated suicide attempt. This will be measured at baseline and 12 months will be collected using the electronic health record (EHR) data.

  • Suicide Severity and Behaviors using Computerized Adaptive Test Suicide Scale (CAT-SS) at Baseline and 12 MonthsBaseline and 12 months

    The CAT-SS measures Severity of Suicide Risk will be assessed using CAT-SS, providing severity on a 0-100 point scale, and risk-stratification to negligible, intermediate and high risk. It is highly sensitive and specific to the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, and predicts future suicide events with high precision and accuracy.