MTIP Social Services Advocate, Ali Lacayo attended the Statewide Sequential Intercept Model Mapping (SIMM) Summit held on May 28-29, in Helena, MT. This collaborative event was organized by the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services in partnership with Policy Research Associates, with the goal of enhancing mental health support for individuals involved in or at risk of involvement in the criminal justice system.
The summit aimed to bring together a diverse group of local, cross-system, and multi-disciplinary stakeholders to foster collaboration and develop strategic plans that address barriers between the criminal justice and behavioral health systems. Through an ‘intercept’ process, participants worked to identify opportunities for reducing systemic gaps and improving service coordination at the community level.
Ali engaged in breakout sessions focused on mapping resources that exist cross-regionally, identifying service gaps and barriers, and exploring ways to reduce some of the siloed work that may exist in behavioral health and criminal justice services in Montana.
“My overall takeaway from the Summit is that the state recognizes the importance of supporting community members to prevent recidivism,” Ali shared. “We’re moving toward proactive solutions—like establishing CIT teams (Crisis Intervention Teams) to help de-escalate potential conflicts between law enforcement and citizens in crisis, and creating specialized courts for individuals with substance use disorders. The summit emphasized filling gaps within the justice system and improving access to these resources and programs.”
Ali looks forward to applying insights gained from the conference to their work, particularly in connecting clients with crisis resources within their local communities.
“My hope is to continue to network and build strong relationships with the folks I met,” Ali said. “It was nice to be a part of this mapping process as it allows us to give our clients a voice, and to address their needs during incarceration and upon their reentry. I am looking forward to connecting them with the resources they need to not only go through the motions of life, but thrive in their reentry. I also appreciate how a lot of the language surrounding these topics has changed—using terms like ‘substance use disorder’ instead of ‘substance abuse’—because words matter!”