The Bristol Observatory

              Incorporated in 1997 by John A. Pandiani, Ph.D., Sociologist 

                                             and Steven M. Banks, Ph.D., Mathematician

Clients and Projects

Much of TBO’s work involves cross state comparisons, comparisons of regions within states, and comparisons of service system participants to the general public of the same geographical area.  TBO has been responsible for data analysis in two major multi-state studies.  One recent study examined access to public mental health services by adults with a history of trauma in 5 states. Another involved utilization of HUD Section 8 housing by individuals discharged from state hospitals in 8 states that determined the proportion of 36,945 former state hospital patients that were among the 100,155 individuals in Section 8 housing in these states on a specified day.    

In recent years, TBO has been increasingly involved in producing information about criminal justice involvement for SAMHSA National Outcomes Measures (NOMs) reporting.  To date, seven states have contracted with TBO to produce this measure.

SAMHSA Uniform Reporting System

The Bristol Observatory provided measures of criminal justice involvement of public mental health service recipients.  These measures were provided in formats to meet SAMHSA Uniform Reporting System (URS) reporting requirements and to support understanding of community mental health program performance.  Criminal justice measures were provided with regard to criminal charges.

Connecticut

    Table 19A - Adult Criminal Justice Involvement  (Fiscal years 2003, 2004, and 2005) 

Pennsylvania

    Table 19A - Adult Criminal Justice Involvement   (Fiscal years 2003, 2004, and 2005) 

    Table 11 & 11A - Summary Profile of Client Evaluation of Care (Fiscal Year 2003 and 2004)

District of Columbia

    Table 19A - Adult Criminal Justice Involvement (Fiscal years 2003, 2004, and 2005)

South Dakota

    Table 19A - Adult Criminal Justice Involvement (Fiscal year 2005) 

Delaware

    Table 19A - Adult Criminal Justice Involvement (Fiscal years 2003, 2004, and 2005) 

Kentucky

    Table 19B - Profile of Juvenile Justice Involvement (Fiscal year 2004)

    Table 19A - Adult Criminal Justice Involvement (Fiscal year 2005) 

Kentucky Section 8 Housing Use - Report

Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (2004 - 2006)

Provided detailed profiles of the degree to which recipients of publicly funded mental health and substance abuse services also appeared on the caseload of other state agencies.  Anonymous data sets used in this project include arrests, probation, incarceration, motor vehicle convictions, suspensions, and accidents, aid to needy families, adult cash payments and medical assistance, and child protection.   Analysis focuses on caseload overlap during fiscal years 1999 and 2005.

Reports for FY2004 & FY2005

Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (2002 – 2003)

Provide detailed profiles of the degree to which recipients of publicly funded substance abuse services also appeared on the caseload of other state agencies.  Anonymous data sets used in this project include arrests, probation, incarceration, motor vehicle convictions, suspensions, and accidents, aid to needy families, adult cash payments and medical assistance, and child protection.   This round of analysis focused on caseload overlap between substance abuse services during one year and other services during the following year (substance abuse treatment outcome), and caseload overlap between substance abuse services during one year and other services during the previous year (access to substance abuse services).  Executive Summary   Legislative Report

Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (2002 – 2003)

Conduct statistical analysis of rates and relative risk of criminal justice involvement of mental health services recipients by age sex, race, and region of the state for each of three fiscal years.  Repeat analysis for individuals with single and dual (mental health and substance abuse) disorders and for different offence categories (property, violent, felony, and misdemeanor). 

Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (2001 – 2002)

Provided detailed profiles of the degree to which recipients of publicly funded substance abuse services also appeared on the caseload of other state agencies.  Anonymous data sets used in this project include arrests, probation, incarceration, motor vehicle convictions, suspensions, and accidents, aid to needy families, adult cash payments and medical assistance, and child protection.   This first round of analysis focused on caseload overlap during each of two fiscal years. This project also involved production of the federally mandated block grant URS (Uniform Reporting System) Table 19A: Criminal Justice involvement for the FY2003 reporting cycle.

New York –  SAMHSA Uniform Reporting System 

The Bristol Observatory provided measures of criminal justice involvement of public mental health service recipients for fiscal year 2004.  These measures were provided in formats to meet SAMHSA Uniform Reporting System (URS) reporting requirements and to support understanding of community mental health program performance.  Criminal justice measures were provided with regard to criminal charges.

SAMHSA/NRI Trauma Study (2003-2004) 

Conduct data analysis and reporting for a multi-state study of utilization of public mental health services by individuals with histories of trauma. Project funded by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and administered by the NASMHPD Research Institute (NRI).  This demonstration project is designed to demonstrate the ability of existing HIPPA-compliant limited databases to contribute to understanding the relationship between trauma and mental health service utilization.   Participating states include; Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, and South Carolina.

Kentucky Department for Mental Health and Mental Retardation (2003-2005)

Provide detailed report regarding utilization of inpatient psychiatric services by recipients of community mental health services.  Analysis uses data sets from community mental health programs, state hospitals, and general hospitals.  Analysis includes age and gender specific rates, for fourteen regions of the state and for the state as a whole, for community service recipients as well as for members of the general population.  Psychiatric hospitalization rates are be provided for state hospitals, for other hospitals, and for all hospitals combined.  Because the data sets used in this analysis do not share unique person identifiers, the caseload overlap between community and inpatient programs is measured using the method of Probabilistic Population Estimation.  One example of the reports prepared under this contract is available at Report.

Kentucky Department of Mental Health and Department of Corrections (2005)

Provide a detailed overview of levels of rates of incarceration for recipients of mental health services in fourteen regions in the state of Kentucky during FY2005. This report will address an important public policy concern, and provides information necessary to meet new federal block grant reporting requirements. Report  Maps.

Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (2002 – 2004)

Produce measures of the criminal justice involvement for adult recipients of mental health services that are based on analysis of existing archival databases.   Because the data sets do not share unique person identifiers, mental health and criminal justice caseload overlap will be measured using the method of Probabilistic Population Estimation.   Rates are produced for the state as a whole, for distinct service areas within the state, and for people with different age, sex, race/ethnicity, and clinical characteristics.  This project also involved production of the federally mandated block grant URS (Uniform Reporting System) Table 19A: Criminal Justice involvement for the FY2003 reporting cycle.  

Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (2002 - 2004)

Conduct analysis of responses to statewide family and consumer survey, and conduct a statewide study of mental health service recipients’ levels of criminal justice involvement.  This project also involved production of the federally mandated block grant URS (Uniform Reporting System) Table 19A: Criminal Justice involvement for the FY2003 reporting cycle.

Washington, D.C. Department of Mental Health (2002 – 2003)

Conduct comprehensive study of levels of criminal justice involvement for recipients of District of Columbia mental health services prior to and subsequent to September 11, 2001.  Study focuses on elevated risk of criminal justice involvement (compared to other residents) for selected demographic groups and geographical areas.  The study relies exclusively on analyses of anonymous extracts from existing data sets maintained by DC mental health and relevant law enforcement agencies.  Probabilistic Population Estimation is used to provide valid and reliable measures of criminal justice involvement without reference to personally identifying information. Report  This project also involved production of the federally mandated block grant URS (Uniform Reporting System) Table 19A: Criminal Justice involvement for the FY2003 reporting cycle.