Tag Archive for: Miami-Dade County

Judge Steven Leifman Awarded 2018 Pardes Humanitarian Prize for Leadership in Reducing the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jail and Prison

The 2018 Pardes Humanitarian Prize in Mental Health is being awarded to Judge Steven Leifman, an associate administrative judge in Miami-Dade County, who has been at the forefront of a public policy movement to reduce the number of people with…
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Mentally Ill South Florida Man Starved to Death in Prison, Lawsuit Alleges – The Miami New Times

When Vincent Gaines was sentenced to five years in prison on robbery charges in June 2013, state officials recommended he be placed in a mental-health unit because he had regular visual and auditory hallucinations. So Gaines was transferred…
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Miami Center to Treat Mentally Ill Crime Suspects – The Crime Report

Miami soon will open the nation’s first “forensic diversion” center for mentally ill people who otherwise would be destined for the criminal justice system, says Judge Steven Leifman, who has long advocated for defendants with mental problems.…
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Stigmatizing Kids? New Law Forces Families to Disclose Student’s Mental Health Treatment – Florida Phoenix

Registering a student for public school involves submitting everything from proof of immunizations, health exams and birth certificates to details about gender, race, emergency contacts and more. But the newest registration requirement this…
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How a Teacher’s ‘Junk Science’ Landed a Dad in Jail on Charge of Raping his Autistic Son – The Miami Herald

In this piece, The Miami Herald chronicles that wrongful arrest of Jose Cordero in Miami. Accusations of sexual abuse arose from "hand over hand" communication, which is considered junk science by many. Read more.
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Florida’s Pattern is Underfunding School Psychologists and Resource Officers – The Miami Herald

Legislators, mental health professionals, and law enforcement have expressed concern regarding Florida's failure to adequately fund school psychologists and resource officers. Read more.
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After Parkland, Admissions to Mental Health Treatment Centers in Florida Spike – The Miami Herald

Mental health treatment centers in Florida have seen a drastic uptick in the number of admissions since Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people in a school shooting in Parkland. Read more.
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Before Son’s Gruesome Crime, She Turned to State’s Mental Health System. It Didn’t Help – The Miami Herald

This exposé from The Miami Herald tells the story of Della Wright's struggle with her son's substance abuse problems and severe schizophrenia. Read more.   Photo by Nevin Ruttanaboonta on Unsplash.
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Florida OKs $4.5 Million Payout for Brutal Prison Shower Death of Darren Rainey – The Miami Herald

The State of Florida has approved a $4.5 million settlement to the family of Darren Rainey, a severely mentally ill inmate who was incarcerated at Dade Correctional Institution in Florida City. For two hours, Rainey was allegedly locked in…
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How Mental-Health Training for Police Can Save Lives—and Taxpayer Dollars – The Atlantic

This article from The Atlantic discusses how mental health training for law enforcement has saved not only lives, but also taxpayer money. In particular, the author describes the mental health reform enacted in Miami-Dade County and the City…