The Mental Health Crisis No One is Fixing --This Judge is Fighting Back

On Vets And Badges, Judge Steve Liefman is leading the fight to fix America's broken mental health court system -and he's calling on YOU to help. Contact your elected leaders today!Judge Leifman shares his 30-year journey transforming mental health and criminal justice systems. Discover how innovative programs, legal insights, and community efforts are reducing recidivism, saving costs, and improving lives.Chapters:00:00 - Judge Leifman's Journey into Mental Health and Justice02:26 - The State of Mental Health Treatment in the US in the 20th Century04:18 - Inhumane Conditions in State Hospitals and Deinstitutionalization06:15 - The Irony of Deinstitutionalization and Its Consequences08:41 - Legal Challenges and the Florida Supreme Court Ruling10:09 - The Case of the Psychotic Man and System Failures15:02 - Miami's Community Mental Health Summit and System Mapping16:50 - Creating a New Approach: Pre- and Post-Arrest Diversion18:12 - Results of the Miami Model: Cost Savings and Reduced Arrests19:11 - Addressing Police PTSD and Improving Public Safety20:55 - The Need for Specialized Facilities for Acute Mental Illness22:22 - Identifying the Highest-Need Individuals and Costly Cycles24:03 - Building a Comprehensive Facility for Recovery and Reintegration25:56 - Economic Impact: Cost Savings and Medicaid Opportunities27:38 - Challenges and Future Steps for Miami's Mental Health Initiative29:21 - Future of Miami as a Model for Mental Health and Justice Reform Vets And Badges Host:Robert Asencio is a retired police Captain, former Florida State Representative, US Army Veteran who served as a member of the Special Operations community with over 34 years of public service experience. Vets and Badges Podcast is an initiative of HEALING - a non-profit created to support veterans, first responder and community stakeholders.For more visit: https://www.kbcf.org/programs/healing-corp/[email protected] - 2026