News

Early career exploration in mental health and the law

CMHPL News | March 29, 2023

Sarah Forslund, an undergraduate student, gained exposure to the forensic mental health field during a month-long mentorship with Dr. Jennifer Piel.

Patients experiencing psychosis benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy in Washington state

CMHPL News | January 10, 2023

The Center for Mental Health, Policy, and the Law, in collaboration with the UW SPIRIT Lab, is working to make cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for psychosis accessible throughout Washington state.

How families can help loved ones experiencing serious mental illness

The Seattle Times | November 7, 2022

Dr. Sarah Kopelovich, CMHPL core faculty member, talks about the role families and caregivers play in recovery from psychosis. She also discusses Psychosis REACH, a training that modifies CBT to the needs of caregivers of individuals with psychotic disorders to better care for and relate to their loved ones.

Department funds suicide prevention and recovery grants

UW Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences News | April 21, 2022

The UW Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences announced the recipients of the Department’s Suicide Prevention and Recovery Small Grants Program aimed at supporting projects related to suicide prevention and recovery. CMHPL Director Dr. Jennifer Piel, Joellyn Sheehy, and colleagues at the Washington Defenders Association and Washington State Bar Association will explore the role that criminal defense attorneys could play in reducing risk of suicide amongst recently arrested criminal defendants.

Suicide risk following criminal arrest

Psychiatric Times | December 30, 2020

The period following arrest can be particularly dangerous, both in custody and in the community. CMHPL Director Dr. Jennifer Piel discusses recent studies and why more attention should be paid to reducing suicide following arrest.

Should juvenile offenders spend their lives behind bars?

The Crime Report | November 2, 2020

Juveniles who commit crimes should be afforded meaningful opportunities for reform and release from prison within their lifetime. This point was underlined by a case brought in Washington state’s Supreme Court concerning the amount of time a person can spend in prison for offenses committed as a juvenile.

How I survived the collision of racism and the stigma of mental illness

The Seattle Times | October 1, 2020

Marcus Harrison Green shares his personal experience with psychosis and examines when the bias of race merges with the stigma of mental illness within the criminal justice system. CMHPL Director Dr. Jennifer Piel is quoted.

Why mental health and the law matters

UW Medicine News | August 14, 2020

A team in the UW Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences has launched the Center for Mental Health, Policy, and the Law.