<![CDATA[Orchid Advocacy - ​TRANSLATIONAL/ ​TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE MONDAY]]>Sat, 20 Jun 2026 12:37:04 -0700Weebly<![CDATA["If you think the brain is complicated --- wait until you get to the immune system"]]>Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:55:42 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/8203translational-8203transitional-justice-monday/if-you-think-the-brain-is-complicated-wait-until-you-get-to-the-immune-system
Val's Take/Conjecture

Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio makes the point the mind is not just "Neural."

Rick was really the person that told me about MICROGLIA, and he was monitoring the research on that and thought it was ground-breaking and had enormous significance.

Additionally, as I was telling him about what I was learning about "IMMUNO-PSYCHIATRY" ---- one of the things he said was, "If you think the the brain is complicated --- wait until you get to the immune system."

Rick passed away March 9, 2022 from terminal lung cancer.  He never smoked.

Is it just the IMMUNE SYSTEM --- well, it is playing a HUGE ROLE that we've largely missed historically -- it is COMPLICATED.

In addition --- ALL OF THIS IS CONNECTED --- to:
  • the MICROBIOME,
  • the ENDOCRINE SYSTEM,
  • the METABOLISM,
  • the larger CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (including the eyes),
  • BONES and CALCIUM -- including the TEETH
  • the Food Supply
  • Toxins --- Natural and Human-Made
  • the Social Determinants of Health
  • the "EXPOSOME"
  • the "LEGALOME"
  • Etc.

When we consider a PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH to CRIMINAL JUSTICE or HOMELESSNESS, we are talking about traditional MENTAL HEALTH --- BUT WE NEED TO CONSIDER SO MUCH MORE.

Getting DEVELOPMENTAL NEURO-IMMUNE MECHANISMS on the radar screens of all of us, not just the researchers, is critical.
The 92nd Street Y, New York

Neuroscientist & Author Antonio Damasio explains why the mind encompasses more than just the brain
​The Halluci Nation
R.E.D.
]]><![CDATA[Progress on Homelessness while "Acute Cases" reveal the need for a continuum of care]]>Wed, 27 May 2026 23:43:02 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/8203translational-8203transitional-justice-monday/progress-on-homelessness-while-acute-cases-reveal-the-need-for-a-continuum-of-care
​Val's Take:  
  • One of the things that is not in the video to the right is that Denver Mayor Mike Johnston did acknowledge there was still work to do on the "acute cases."
  • Recognizing that it is really about providing the level of support and care that is needed, not a politically correct low or high level is necessary for effective policymaking.
  • Further, this has to be tailored to the individual.​
  • What is currently available just within clinical and service practice is considerable, but the SCIENCE- PRACTICE GAP challenges multiple interests and perspectives.
]]><![CDATA["Neurodevelopmental and Psychiatric Disorders in Justice Settings: Key Risks in a Time of Changing Science"]]>Mon, 25 May 2026 11:12:28 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/8203translational-8203transitional-justice-monday/neurodevelopmental-and-psychiatric-disorders-in-justice-settings-key-risks-in-a-time-of-changing-science​Conclusion

Justice‑involved people with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders face multiple, layered risks: severe and complex mental health problems, high self‑harm and trauma exposure, social marginalisation, and legal vulnerability.

Rapid advances in understanding these conditions expose how far current justice processes, diagnostic practices and services lag behind.

The research consistently points to early, broad screening; neurodevelopment‑ and trauma‑informed, transdiagnostic care; specialist liaison/diversion; and adapted legal frameworks as central to reducing harm and improving outcomes.
Val's Take/Conjecture
  • The issue of ACCESS is undeniably important.
  • BUT ACCESS TO WHAT?
  • Our PRACTICES and SERVICES "lag behind" the Science to a frightening degree.
    • ​Policymakers need to address this.
What is the Prison Implementation Penalty?
What are the risks for people with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders who are justice involved--

​At a time of rapid change in Scientific understandings of neurodevelopmental & psychiatric disorders?
]]><![CDATA[How Are Neurodevelopmental and Psychiatric Disorders Atypical forms of Aging? What does that mean For employment?]]>Wed, 20 May 2026 13:29:55 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/8203translational-8203transitional-justice-monday/how-are-neurodevelopmental-and-psychiatric-disorders-atypical-forms-of-aging-what-does-that-mean-for-employment
Val's Take/Conjecture
  • Most everyone --- from the person, to the family to the society --- wants the person with a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) to work --- but it often does not work.
  • The BARRIERS are often different than anyone expected.
  • The burden of making accommodations cannot just be placed on the EMPLOYER.  Further, many Entrepeneurs do have psychiatric disorders and could use support.


  • Accommodating "Spiky Profiles" is not something we have no experience in --- but we do need to democratize it.  Like many things  --- the more we do it  ---  the better we will get. ​
How are Neurodevelopmental and Psychiatric Disorders Atypical Forms of Aging
​​Broader Vocational Context and Neurodiversity

  • Work is central to adult autonomy, social connection, and well‑being; unemployment increases mental health risks .
  • Neurodiversity frameworks highlight “spiky profiles” (specific strengths and weaknesses) and argue for:
  • *job design,
  • *supports, and
  • *workplace accommodations rather than a pure deficit model.

Conclusion

Across neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, atypical or accelerated aging combines with early‑onset symptoms to reduce years worked, employment rates, earnings, and job quality.

Cognitive ability, education, social support, and tailored vocational opportunities can buffer these effects, but substantial gaps in stable, meaningful employment remain.

Supporting neurodivergent and psychiatric populations over the whole life course—especially during school‑to‑work transitions and into older age—is crucial for better work and aging outcomes.
What does Individual, Atypical Aging in Neurodevelopmental and Psychiatric Disorders Mean for Employment?
]]><![CDATA[Jama Psychiatry is driving another stake into DSM DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORIESwith some practical alternatives --- BIO-MARKERS]]>Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:16:14 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/8203translational-8203transitional-justice-monday/jama-psychiatry-is-driving-another-stake-into-dsm-diagnostic-categorieswith-some-practical-alternatives-bio-markers
​Val's Take/Conjecture
  • Lead author of the Study to the right is Sameer Jauhar, PhD with Imperial College London.
  • There were also several other authors of the Study from the UK including others from Imperial College London, Oxford and King's College London, and also Italy -- the University of Padua.
  • DSM Categories have been under fire from the highest tops of the Scientific Establishment for over a decade.​​
  • Slowly biomarkers are being identified.
  • In the meantime, there are plenty of questions about how we should be handling imperfect and incomplete psychiatric knowledge in the Criminal Justice System.
​Treatment For Psychosis May Be 'Fundamentally Flawed',
​Study Finds
Science Alert
August 31, 2025
​"This discovery challenges some aspects of modern psychiatric practice. Currently, treatment decisions rely heavily on diagnostic categories that may not reflect what is actually happening in people's brains."

. . .

"As our understanding of the brain advances, the rigid categories that have dominated psychiatry for decades are beginning to blur. If the brain (and mother nature) does not respect diagnostic boundaries, neither should our treatments."
Dopamine and Mood in Psychotic Disorders: An 18F-DOPA PET Study (2025)

 Use of PET Scan to determine Striatal dopamine synthesis capacity (Kicer).
​Metabolomic Biomarker Signatures for Bipolar and Unipolar Depression (2024)
]]><![CDATA["Time is on my side," "Angel from Montgomery" --- and Justice]]>Sun, 19 Apr 2026 11:05:37 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/8203translational-8203transitional-justice-monday/time-is-on-my-side-angel-from-montgomery-and-justice
Val's Take:  "Time Is On My Side"  --- will the new understandings of Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders ultimately make their way to mainstream Healthcare --- I really have no doubt of it.

On the other hand, people living in the last 50 or 60 years have been subject to a MIXED BAG of Psychiatric Ideas and Treatments --- some of which could be LIFE SAVING, some HARMFUL and some MEH.

One of the lines in "Angel from Montgomery" is "I am an old woman --- my old man is another child who's grown old." People with Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders die everyday without the benefit of these new understandings.

Further, there are people in Colorado prisons and homeless whose challenges are greatly misunderstood by not appreciating that they involve "immune alterations."

There was such a rejection of the "MEDICAL MODEL" --- mainly because the medical model we had was deeply flawed.  "Multi-omics" is about as medical model as one can get in 2026 --- it does seem to be a BIG STEP UP --- and it should still be questioned. 

We've been slow to appreciate the implications of the Research of the last 10 to 15 years --- "Just give me one thing
That I can hold on to, To believe in this livin' Is just a hard way to go."​
​The Rolling Stones and Irma Thomas
​Time Is On My Side
Bonnie Raitt and John Prine 
Angel From Montgomery
]]><![CDATA[Multi-omics, Paradigm shifts and the need for sophisticated policy making]]>Fri, 17 Apr 2026 23:30:49 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/8203translational-8203transitional-justice-monday/multi-omics-paradigm-shifts-and-the-need-for-sophisticated-policy-making
Val's Take/Conjecture
  • Researchers around the World, including Germany, Iran, the US, China, Japan  Brazil and many other countries have made a major paradigm shift when if comes to the biological understanding of Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders.
​Policymaking without PERFECT KNOWLEDGE ---
​We NEVER have PERFECT KNOWLEDGE.
​We need an entity like the Council on State Governments to tackle the policy challenges of MAJOR PARADIGM SHIFTS at the Research Level and Lagging Translational Research --- especially with respect to "Anti-Social Personality Disorder."
Multi-omics approaches to major psychiatric disorders  (2026)
Affiliations
  • 1Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 80336, Munich, Germany.
  • 2Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
  • 3International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany.
  • 4Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics (IPPG), LMU University Hospital, LMU Munich, 80336, Munich, Germany. 
  • 5Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Norton College of Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA. 
  • 6Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. 
]]><![CDATA[A public Health approach to criminal justice can include Custodial Care]]>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 18:46:20 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/8203translational-8203transitional-justice-monday/a-public-health-approach-to-criminal-justice-can-include-custodial-careIt can and should be every bit as individualized and sophisticated as cancer care with up-to-date precision medicine.
​
The US should be included in Google AI's List of Countries that try various "Public Health ApproachES to Criminal Justice"
​Val's Take/Conjecture
  • When people are invoking a Public Health Approach to Criminal Justice ---​
    • ​They often are referring to COMMUNITY-BASED CARE.
    • But in extremely serious cases it may be Custodial Care, just as it might be for other very serious health conditions.
Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders are complex NEURO-IMMUNE DISORDERS affecting multiple systems of the body.
  • ​They are often the result of DEVELOPMENTAL IMMUNE DYSREGULATIONS incurred in IN UTERO as the result of Maternal Immune Activation.
  • We need Integrated Health Care not only of Physical and Mental Health, but also Developmental Health.
In some ways, "Psychiatry" has been "BACK-DOORING" highly complex IMMUNE ISSUES.
Google AI didn't give the US credit for a Public Health Approach to Criminal Justice --- but it's there along with being the Most Incarcerated Country in the World.
Some of our Public Health Approaches to Criminal Justice are PRIMATIVE.  
​Tom Abbott, 44 Communications, Ltd.
​countries with a public health approach to criminal justice

There's a growing global movement to integrate public health principles into criminal justice systems, moving away from solely punitive approaches towards more rehabilitative and preventative measures. 

​Here are some examples of countries implementing such approaches:

Portugal: Known for decriminalizing personal drug use and focusing on treating addiction as a health issue, with positive impacts like plummeting drug-induced death rates.

Netherlands: Emphasizes harm reduction and prevention in its approach to drug use and other criminal justice matters.

Switzerland: Implemented the "Four Pillars Law" encompassing prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and law enforcement for drug-related issues, according to foundationswellness.net.

Norway and Finland: Their justice systems prioritize rehabilitation and focus on the inherent humanity of individuals involved in the system, viewing prisons as environments for learning a life without crime.

United Kingdom: Has utilized hospital-based violence surveillance to inform prevention strategies, sharing anonymized data with police and local government partners to reduce violence-related hospital admissions.

Canada: Introduced legislative reforms in British Columbia to support the decriminalization of drug use and possession.

Australia: Has adopted harm reduction measures like syringe service programs.

Certain Countries in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM): Recognizing the link between violence and public health, CARICOM hosted a symposium on crime and violence as a public health issue, exploring a public health approach to reduce violence.

Ukraine, Philippines, Nigeria, and Peru: Are developing addiction public health infrastructure with support from international organizations, focusing on regulatory changes, workforce development, and resource allocation, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Republic of Moldova: Introduced in-prison therapeutic communities for addiction treatment and post-release mentorship programs.

Germany, France, Finland, Estonia, and the Netherlands: Have successfully implemented alternative punishments such as community service, probation, electronic monitoring, and fines, leading to reduced incarceration rates and recidivism.

Indonesia: Is also pursuing alternatives to incarceration, including supervision and social work, aiming to reduce prison overcrowding and support reintegration. 

Key aspects of a public health approach to criminal justice
Treating addiction and mental illness as public health concerns: Focusing on prevention, treatment, and harm reduction instead of solely relying on criminal penalties.
Investing in social services and community programs: *Addressing the root causes of crime like poverty, lack of education, and limited access to healthcare.
*Diverting individuals with mental health or substance use disorders away from incarceration: Utilizing drug courts, mental health courts, and community-based treatment programs.

Focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration: Providing support and resources to individuals exiting the criminal justice system to reduce recidivism.

Using data to inform policies and practices: Employing evidence-based strategies and evaluating their effectiveness in reducing crime and improving public health.

Collaboration between law enforcement and public health agencies: Sharing data, expertise, and resources to implement effective interventions. 

This shift towards a public health approach aims to create a more just and effective criminal justice system that promotes public safety while also improving the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. 

AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more
]]><![CDATA[Denver Mayor Mike Johnston's Triumphant program pairing housing with case management & TRUMP's Executive Order on Ending Crime & Disorder]]>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 21:04:21 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/8203translational-8203transitional-justice-monday/denver-mayor-mike-johnstons-triumphant-program-pairing-housing-with-case-management-trumps-executive-order-on-ending-crime-disorder
Val's Take/Conjecture
  • It doesn't appear that Democrats and Republicans are that far apart on addressing homelessness --- but that's just me.​
  • For Mental Health Advocates, two issues of note under Trump's Executive Order are
    • ​A robust return to Civil Commitment, and
    • A Disavowal of "Harm Reduction" practices.
​I consider current TRADITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT ---- "HARM REDUCTION."
  • is it IDEAL --- NO 
  • can it be harmful -- YES
  • BUT given TREATMENT LIMITATIONS --- it is often the best option.
CIVIL COMMITMENT, OUT-DATED UNDERSTANDINGS &  TREATMENTS 
  • Basically, I generally favor Civil Commitment over Incarceration in Jails or Prisons.
  • ​Civil Commitment is still a significant deprivation of liberty --- and in some cases a greater deprivation of liberty.
  • Further, I have been very critical of Colorado Amendments to the Civil Commitment Statute in lieu of an ADEQUATE CONTINUUM OF CARE.
  • Civil Commitment will not save us from having an INADEQUATE CONTINUUM OF CARE and OUT-DATED UNDERSTANDINGS & TREATMENTS.
ENDING CRIME AND DISORDER ON AMERICA’S STREETS
(July 24, 2025)
​DENVER MAYOR MIKE JOHNSTON
ALL IN MILE HIGH
]]><![CDATA[Questioning assumptions in mental health and the Law]]>Sat, 21 Mar 2026 13:43:41 GMThttps://orchidadvocacy.org/8203translational-8203transitional-justice-monday/questioning-assumptions-in-mental-health-and-the-law
Picture
Val's Take/Conjecture
  • One of the reasons so many people are MISSED in screening for mental health concerns ---
    • They don't necessarily fit neatly into current DSM Categories.​
  • Beyond that -- there is not an appreciation for the importance of definitions.

La, La, La . . .
​When we talk about getting to the ROOT CAUSE of some of these policy and treatment challenges in mental health ---
  • the fact that the DSM is not a scientifically valid diagnostic manual is HUGE.
​Theoretically, WE KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN  that the problems with the DSM meant BIG PROBLEMS for Competency Evaluations in Criminal Justice.
​The US National Institute of Mental Health identified the problem with the current DSM categories as not sufficiently tied to the "UNDERLYING BIOLOGY."

So this is about getting to DEEPER LEVELS OF ANALYSIS --- with respect to Mental Health ---
  • Getting to the CELLULAR & MOLECULAR  Levels of Analysis
What are the Implications for the Law?
​With respect to THE LAW, it is uncovering UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS within Mens Rea or Intent.
  • If biological explanations for intent go beyond "PSYCHOSIS" and include Neuro-Developmental Disorders and IN UTERO DYSREGULATIONS of Microglia --- the Brain's Immune Cells, and
  • Highly complex and idiosyncratic underlying biology ---
  • We've got a problem.
​The problem for THE LAW is that a RATIONAL BASIS for Punishment is being effectively undermined by:
  • the Biological Basis of Behavior
  • the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD)
  • the reconceptualization of Neuro-Developmental and Psychiatric Disorders as Neuro-Immune Disorders affecting Multiple Systems of the body.
  • the reconceptualization of Anti-Social Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder as Neuro-Developmental Disorders.
  • the need for PRECISION MEDICINE --- one size doesn't fit all.
​The High Rates of Comorbidity among Neurodevelopmental Disorders:

Reconsidering the Clinical Utility of Distinct Diagnostic Categories  (2024)
Abstract

​The boundaries between neurodevelopmental disorders are often indistinct, even among specialists.

But do these boundaries exist, or do experts struggle to distinguish and categorize symptoms in order to arrive at a dominant diagnosis while comorbidity continually leaves questions about where each disorder ends and begins?

What should be reconsidered?

The introduction of the term ‘spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders’ could pave the way for a re-appraisal of the clinical continuum of neurodevelopmental disorders.

This study aims to highlight the problems that emerge in the field of the differential diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders and propose a renegotiation of the distinctiveness criteria.
​Voegelin View:  The Roman Law's Contribution to Modern Legal Systems
The Criminal Law's underlying purpose to maintain SAFETY is as strong as ever if not stronger ----
  • but how we achieve that may be more about addressing underlying developmental immunological dysregulations than what was previously understood.
]]>