This week's roundup covers the latest in behavioral health research, funding, and crisis response from new findings on interventions for justice-involved youth and a major workforce investment in Florida, to federal policy shifts under the Trump administration, a Worcester crisis program facing an uncertain future, and a Honolulu police sergeant being recognized for his leadership in mental health crisis response.

A systematic review published in APA's journal found that youth in the juvenile legal system experience high rates of behavioral health concerns, underscoring the importance of developing and evaluating effective community-based psychosocial interventions for this population. The review analyzed randomized controlled trials of psychosocial interventions conducted between 1990 and 2024, examining the types of interventions tested and the outcomes targeted, such as conduct problems and internalizing concerns.

Four research projects led by University of South Florida faculty have been awarded funding from the Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce as part of a $1.9 million statewide investment to address critical gaps in Florida's behavioral health system. The projects span a range of needs, from training providers to better support dementia patients and trauma-affected children, to preparing school psychologists for high-need communities and piloting programs that help patients access care while on waitlists for licensed clinicians.

Thirteen-year HPD veteran Sgt. Corbin Matsumoto was named the 2026 Outstanding Government Leader by Mental Health of America of Hawaii for his work leading the department's Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), where he collaborates with community groups and mental health experts to support individuals facing homelessness, behavioral health emergencies, and mental health challenges. In addition to heading the unit day-to-day, Matsumoto helps conduct CIT training four times a year, and as of June 2026, approximately 294 HPD officers have completed the rigorous 40-hour program, with another class scheduled for July. Major Clifford Ramson, who oversees the Major Events Division, praised the recognition, noting that the CIT has already demonstrated the value of strong partnerships with local mental health and homeless service providers.

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KFF has launched a tracker documenting key federal mental health and substance use policy actions under President Trump's second term, noting that the administration has moved toward a heavier law-and-order approach while scaling back several mental health and substance use services — including canceling school-based mental health grants and proposing to reorganize SAMHSA under another agency. At the same time, the administration has continued some treatment-focused initiatives, such as the reauthorization of the SUPPORT Act, which expanded access to opioid treatment and overdose prevention.

Worcester's Mental Health Community Mobile Crisis Response Program, developed by UMass Memorial Health's Community Healthlink, sends teams of mental health clinicians, case managers, and peer educators to crisis sites to de-escalate situations and connect individuals with mental health and substance use resources. However, the program's future is now in question as Community Healthlink — which serves more than 22,000 people annually — moves toward eventual closure amid failed negotiations to transfer its programs to other providers, leaving critical behavioral health services across Central Massachusetts in a state of uncertainty.

CIT programs on YouTube