This special issue of the Journal of Health Care Law & Policy focuses on the uneasy alignments between legal systems and mental health interventions. The issue stems from the Spring 2023 Symposium, which focused on the use of legal coercion to force compliance with mental health interventions across various areas, including child welfare, families, and criminal legal systems. The symposium was co-sponsored by the School of Social Work Thursz Social Justice Lecture Series and the Journal of Health Care Law & Policy.
To commemorate this special issue and the journal’s first publication in 2024, we are inviting the authors, symposium speakers, health law students, social work students, and community partners to join in a discussion and celebration of the exceptional scholarship in the issue. Select authors will speak at the event, leading a discussion on the common themes throughout the articles and how the work within the issue is impacting legislation and systems beyond the academic sphere.
This event will feature a discussion with University of Maryland Professors Richard Boldt, from the Carey School of Law, and Corey Shdaimah, from the School of Social work, as well as speakers from the Maryland Mental Health Coalition, Disability Rights Maryland (Courtney Bergan, Equal Justice Works Fellow and special issue author), and On Our Own Maryland (Katie Rouse, Executive Director).
The event is scheduled to take place on Friday, Jan. 19, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law in the Ceremonial Courtroom.