Leveraging the science of implementation: the case for specialized mental health community supervision

People with mental illnesses are overrepresented in criminal legal systems internationally, making addressing mental health among this population a global public health concern. Across the world, community supervision agencies (i.e., probation and parole) have implemented a variety of innovative and evidence-informed approaches to improve outcomes for people with mental illness. However, the demonstrated success of these approaches in one region or country does not guarantee effectiveness in another due to significant variations in the implementation context, including differences in governance and administration, society and culture, and resource constraints. Applying implementation science methods throughout the phases of intervention (design and development, implementation, and evaluation) provides tools that can help translate innovations within and across different agencies, countries, and contexts. To highlight how implementation science methods can be used to adapt and implement health interventions within criminal legal system settings, this perspective uses the example of specialized mental health community supervision in the USA. Drawing on general implementation science principles and the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework, we articulate key questions and steps agencies can take to translate health interventions from theory into practice.