Last month, the Academic Consortium on Criminal Justice Health (ACCJH) hosted the 18th Academic & Health Policy Conference on Correctional Health in Austin, Texas. Sponsored and organized by ForHealth Consulting® at UMass Chan Medical School, the event brings together criminal legal health researchers, clinicians, public health experts, policymakers, advocates, and individuals impacted by the criminal legal system.
The conference seeks to advance ACCJH’s aim to improve evidence-based practices and policies to advance the health of justice-involved populations, highlighting emerging health research and policy across the justice field. It included over 130 oral presentations and 40 poster presentations, where attendees learned about emerging research in the field. Nearly 400 attendees came from 36 states, as well as Puerto Rico, Canada, and Australia.
Our justice, health, & equity team presented “Strengthening Behavioral Health Partnerships: Developing Community Pathways in Parole.” They spoke about the Parole Recovery Opportunity (PRO): Community Pathways Program, which develops channels for the enhanced delivery of care to individuals with substance use and mental health disorders who are reentering the community under the Massachusetts Parole Board supervision.
The Jacob and Valeria Langeloth Foundation, a longtime supporter of the ACCJH conference, funded 54 scholars to attend the conference. Kayla Blair received the 2025 Warren J. Ferguson scholarship, which honors an individual committed to advancing the health equity of individuals impacted by justice systems.
The Langeloth Foundation also sponsored the conference’s keynote speaker Anthony Ray Hinton, who shared about his life and his wrongful conviction that led to his being one of the longest serving death row prisoners in Alabama history. Just a few weeks shy of the 10th anniversary of his release from death row, Hinton shared his story of survival on death row with sadness, humor, and forgiveness. His keynote was an emotional narrative for the importance of truth, justice, and criminal legal reform with the end to the death penalty.
ForHealth Consulting has advocated and worked for equitable, high-quality, and cost-effective correctional healthcare for over 20 years. We work to improve the well-being of justice-involved individuals to prepare them to return healthier to the community. Learn more about our services.
Members of our JHE team at the conference.
Geneva Weymouth and Whitney Kraemer presenting.
Members of our JHE team with Ray Hinton, ACCJH keynote speaker (second from left)