Access to Tobacco Treatment for the Justice-Involved Part 3: Programming Innovation and Operations

Cyrus Ahalt has 15 years of experience in public health and justice reform with expertise in program design and evaluation. His work identifying and addressing the health- and human rights-related harms of American penal policy and practice has been widely published in the academic and lay press. As Associate Director at Amend, Cyrus is responsible for all aspects of program development and delivery. 

Dr. Gillece has forty years of experience working in the health field with twenty-five dedicated to addressing the impact of trauma and social justice. Working across agencies, Dr. Gillece promotes the use of trauma informed care in multiple settings including mental health, substance abuse, adult and juvenile justice, social services and homeless services.

Prior to joining the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) seventeen years ago, Dr. Gillece served as Director of Special Populations for Maryland’s Mental Hygiene Administration where her responsibilities included all aspects of state mental health planning and delivery of services as well as development of collaboration across agencies serving individuals with psychiatric diagnosis.  As project director for SAMHSA’s National Center for Trauma-Informed Care (NCTIC), Dr. Gillece  championed the cause of full consumer integration and development of culturally competent programs. Utilizing survivors in all aspects of trauma work, Dr. Gillece has coordinated and provided technical assistance, conference presentations, and consultations to multiple systems across the country. . Commitment to strength-based support by implementing trauma informed values with the overreaching theme of healing has been her focus.

Beth Jordan, MD, CCHP, has been at the DC Department of Corrections for a decade. She serves as Medical Director and Health Services Administrator. Prior to entering the field of Corrections, she was a medical director for Medical Advocacy and Provider Education organizations, and an Internist at the Mayo Clinic, specializing in Women’s Health. Dr. Jordan attended Vassar College, and the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine’s medical school and Internal Medicine Residency program where Andrew Weil, MD, was her mentor.  She was a healthcare provider at Planned Parenthood, served on the Board of Medical Students for Choice, and in 2009 was voted one of the Women’s Leaders in Medicine by the American Medical Student’s Association.

Since entering Correctional Health at the DC Department of Corrections, she has focused on improving systems to effect improved satisfaction, efficacy and safety for residents, healthcare providers and Custody operations alike. Over the past decade, she has worked collaboratively with the healthcare vendor and corrections on modernizing the pharmacy with a medication packaging system, adding the electronic Medication Administration Record, and overhauling policies and procedures around Suicide Prevention and Safe Cells. Supported by DOC’s Director, she has brought national subject matter experts in Trauma Informed Care and Challenging Behavioral/Psychiatric Management issues into the DC Jail to expand trauma informed care awareness and related training to medical/mental health and custody staff. Under her leadership, Behavioral Healthcare treatment now includes acupuncture, yoga and mindfulness, meditation, Emotional Freedom Technique (“Tapping”), TAMAR groups (Trauma Informed Care) in addition to medication management. Over the past 2 years she has worked closely with the healthcare vendor and Operations to open up SAMHSA-funded therapeutic housing units for men and women dealing with Substance Use Disorder, particularly opioids.

In his role as Chief Medical Officer for San Francisco Jail Health Services (SFJHS), Dr. Mains oversees all clinical operations, policies, and procedures for healthcare provided in the SF County Jails. The mission of SFJHS is to provide comprehensive, compassionate, and respectful care for incarcerated people while mitigating the effects of structural racism and historical injustices as a fully integrated and collaborative member of San Francisco's Public Health Department. Dr. Mains is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University of School of Medicine. He completed his Internal Medicine Residency and Chief Residency at the University of California, San Francisco as a member of the primary care program based at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Prior to medical school, Dr. Mains was a public high school teacher in Baltimore City, and the co-founder of a nonprofit organization focused on preparing minoritized high school students for health careers.