Judge Steven Leifman - Ending the Criminalization of Mental Illness

Judge Steven Leifman is the Associate Administrative Judge, Miami-Dade County Court - Criminal Division. He is a national leader in solving the complex and costly problem of people with untreated mental illnesses involved in the criminal justice system. In 2000, he launched a pioneering initiative in Miami-Dade County called the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Criminal Mental Health Project,
which steers people with mental illnesses who do not pose significant threats to public safety away from the criminal justice system and into community-based treatment. He also started a Crisis Intervention Team program in Miami-Dade which teaches law enforcement officials to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental illness, how to de-escalate potentially dangerous situations, and where to take individuals in crisis rather than arresting them.
Judge Leifman was the Keynote Speaker at the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation 2018 International Mental Health Research Symposium.
Follow the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @bbrfoundation.
Join our email list to receive our weekly eNews containing summaries of the latest mental health research discoveries, written for a lay-audience: www.bbrf.org/signup.
Thank you for watching.

[@originlsamwash9363]

This was simply fantastic. Had me in tears.

[@tammyduke4213]

I pray I have even become totally Broken spiritually I was on my knees begging for mercy as a mother of a broken son🙏🏻💔

[@kittypoo]

This is outstanding ‼️💯thank you sooooo much for speaking on our behalf. Please don’t stop.

[@tammyduke4213]

Thank you for your care and time for our loved ones suffering

[@ernndoggallen3489]

Great video and a Great Judge

[@daizymaebee529]

My son and so many other have not had proper medical assessments and or treatment while in the care of Clinton Iowa Clinton County courts/ Clinton Iowa Jail.

[@daizymaebee529]

My son has been on medication since age 8. He is now 19 and been in clinton Iowa Jail since October without his medications..he has shown proof everyday of mental instability and I have requested medical care on multiple occasions.. He has been denied.

[@tammyduke4213]

I hope you have gotten him out or help. My son is really bad and incarcerated

[@tammyduke4213]

Pray pray pray.

[@daizymaebee529]

Aaron T. Davis

[@user-bu5my1le3s]

May we translate subtitles into Chinese?

[@anasofiaurodeleon571]

Man that dad crying really make you feel some type of way. I hope change is still being made and these people are being advocated for and helped. 😢

[@lisabrown6537]

I've been fighting for almost three years now this is killing me there's no help ain't NOONE can save someone who was wrongfully convicted in court cause of their mental illness .NOONE helps after that NOONE cares my son has suffered so much

[@joannadavignon1608]

If people choose to live on the streets it’s their constitutional right to persue their happiness. It’s only when they actually commit crimes that they should face jail time. Homelessness is not mental illness.

[@sheilastutz6436]

That doesnt mean they wont be extremely oppressed in other ways!

[@sheilastutz6436]

You could end up in a worse place!

[@lisabrown6537]

Yeah where are these people when you look for help online can't get them to help on here where are they they nowhere on a online search I've searched high and low do you even know how someone is treated who tried to help someone with a mental illness .my son he was holding onto his last hope I believe I have noway or NOONE to help not where we live the judge yesterday he denied every person with a mental illness any kind of positive help or solution .you have to see your loved one treated so bad put alone in isolation cells and omg if you ever. Dare try and defend them. They pay the price .I don't Wana lose my son .butt there's real help nowhere NOONE cares

[@lisabrown6537]

Where were you while the judges in Yuma Arizona wrongfully convict people with mental illnesses these people get treated so bad by gang members and people who are hateful judges choose to go along with that type of mind frame then to help that's what was done to my son .what about the people in other places here NOONE cares my son has been effected to the extreme and what was done to him was so wrong all you care about is where your at there's people who go unforgotten uncared for

[@shockwaveblaster]

People should be more nice to each other or it ends up young Russians vs young NATO allies

[@sheilastutz6436]

Bullying, from the beginning , caused all the social matters he is speaking of!