The document discusses Forensic Intensive Case Management (FICM), a program that provides targeted case management to non-violent offenders with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system. FICM aims to divert these individuals from incarceration by coordinating their mental health and criminal justice system services. The program is a collaboration between the local Community Mental Health center, county mental health and jail diversion programs. Research shows that individuals with mental illness are overrepresented in prisons and more likely to become incarcerated. FICM works to reduce recidivism and jail time through intensive case management and community support.

2. FICM
Forensic Intensive
Case Management
Greg McCutcheon, MA
Executive Director

3. Forensic Intensive Case
Management (FICM)
The CMU in collaboration with Dauphin
County MH/MR and the Dauphin County
Jail Diversion Program provide targeted
case management services to non-
violent offenders linked with the criminal
justice system that are in need of mental
health services.

4. The Case for FICM
•Research indicates that individuals with severe mental
illness are overrepresented in jails and prisons in the U.S.
•The prevalence of severe mental disorders in correctional
facilities range between 6 and 9%, and are significantly
higher than the rate of 2.8% in the general population.
•Individuals who exhibit symptoms of a mental illness at the
time of an encounter with the criminal justice system are
more likely to be arrested.
•Persons with serious mental illness are jailed more often
than hospitalized.

5. The Case for FICM
•People with serious mental illness spend longer in jail for
similar convictions than those without serious mental
illness.
•Many offenses that lead to incarceration for individuals with
SMI are minor.
•Individuals with serious mental illness who experience
things not directly related to their illness (i.e. homelessness)
are more likely to return to jail.
•Case management can lead to a reduction in arrests and
incarceration.

6. Individuals with serious mental illness are more
likely to become involved with the legal system,
and once they do, are more likely to be
incarcerated and spend more time detained than
individuals who do not suffer from mental illness.

7. •Diversion = avoiding or radically reducing jail time by
using community based treatment and an alternative
•Focuses on Post-Booking but Pre-Sentencing
intercepts or diversion models for non-violent
offenders
Individuals suffering from mental illness have been
diverted from the criminal justice system, have had
their charges reduced, or served a decreased
sentence due to the coordination of services between
the mental health and criminal justice systems. To
date, more than 10,000 jail days have been saved due
to these efforts.
The Jail Diversion Program

8. What is FICM?
•Forensic Intensive Case Management is a specialized unit
within the mental health department of the CMU.
•Designed to work with individuals who are diagnosed with
a mental illness and are also involved with the criminal
justice system.
•Delivered by Intensive Case Managers who are specially
trained and possess an expertise in working with the
criminal justice system.
•Multi-faceted, and provide support to the individuals being
served through innovative strategies generally not
associated with their traditional ICM counterparts.

9. •Forensic Intensive Case Managers are trained and
have specialized expertise in working with the criminal
justice system.
•FICM caseloads are comprised of individuals enrolled
in the MH Jail Diversion Program and in the future will
include other identified individuals linked with the
criminal justice system.
•The Forensic Intensive Case Managers carry a
smaller caseload than their traditional ICM
counterparts.
How is Forensic Intensive
Case Management (FICM)
different from ICM?

10. 1. Engaging the individual in mental health treatment
2. Coordinating and communicating services between
the mental health and criminal justice system
3. Identifying community resources that eradicate the
marginal situations generally associated with the
forensic population
4. Identifying and rebuilding relationships with family
and friends who serve as support for the individual
5. Preventing further involvement with the criminal
justice system
Goals of the Forensic ICM
Program

11. Forensic Intensive Case Management services
allow individuals involved with mental health and
criminal justice the opportunity to participate in
their treatment planning while assisting them in
confronting and overcoming the barriers and
obstacles that confront them.

12. The End
For more information contact:
Greg McCutcheon
Executive Director
gmccutcheon@cmu.cc