Sarah E. Abbott, PhD

Associate Professor, Counseling and Behavioral Health Department

Director, Center for Crisis Response and Behavioral Health

Phone

617-327-6777 x290

Degree	Major/Emphasis	Institution
PhD	Law, Policy and Society	Northeastern University, Boston, MA
MA	Criminal Justice	University of Massachusets–Lowell, MA
BA (honors)	Community Studies	Bradford and Ilkley College, England, UK

Courses

CJ501 Criminal Justice and Behavioral Health
CJ505 Crisis Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment
CJ507 Advanced Crisis Response and Practical Simulations

Research and Practice Interests

Primary research and practice have focused on the intersection of law enforcement and people in crisis.
Co-developed the Framingham Co-Response model and consults internationally on partnerships between police and clinicians.

Professional Licenses and Certifications

Licensed Social Worker (LSW), Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Awards

Team Recipient: Advocates “Bill Taylor Team Award.” (2021)
Team Recipient: of the Annual Providers Council Convention and Expo’s “Innovator of the Year” Award (2020)
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Honorable Judge Robert C. Campion Award (2019)
Department of Mental Health Exemplary Performance for Clinical Collaboration with Law Enforcement Award (2016)
Framingham Police Department Public Service Award (2009)
Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention’s Annual Leadership Award (2009)
Framingham Police Department Public Service Award (2008)
Framingham Police Department Public Service Award (2007)
Department of Mental Health Distinguished Service Award (2005)
Thomas M. Wernert Innovation in Community Behavioral Care Award (2004)
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Service and Commitment Awa

Publications and Presentations

April 2022 – "The compatibility of International Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) and Community Safety Co-Response Models in the Irish Jurisdiction" Symposium, Limerick Ireland.
March 2022 – The Golda Edinburg Lecture: (Virtual) The Framingham Co-Response Jail Diversion Program: Improving Law Enforcement Responses to Individuals in Crisis.
February 2022 – Community Justice in Massachusetts - Collaboration Between System and Community that Reduces Incarceration.
February 2022 – Crisis Cops: A New England Perspective.
January 2022 – Labouré College of Healthcare: Keynote- Annual Professional Staff Meeting Lessons from the Frontline: Crisis Response, Compassion and the Future of Healthcare.
June 2021 – 10th Annual Massachusetts Department of Mental Health. Mental Health and Law Enforcement Conference, (Virtual) Panelist on "Our Work Together - Evidence-Based Outcomes/Best Practices of Jail Diversion Programs: The Co-Response Model."
April 2021 – Voices of Empowerment and Social Justice Symposium; (Virtual) Panel presentation "The Intersection of Social Work and Criminal Justice System on Practice and Policy." National Association of Social Workers, Massachusetts Chapter.
March 2020 – National Co-Responder Conference,
“The Co-Response Experience in Massachusetts; How to Embed Effectively and Forever,” Olathe, KS. *Unable to Attend due to COVID.
November 2019 – Mental Health Legal Advisor Committee Annual Conference; Panel participant on Criminal Justice Reform and Mental Health Policy.
June 2019 – Department of Mental Health Mental Health and Law Enforcement Conference; Panel participant on Police Wellness Initiatives, Fitchburg, MA.
May 2019 – Specialty Court Conference; Pathways, Crossroads, and Exits: Mental Health Issues in Criminal Justice Systems. Panel participant on police diversionary programs. Boston, MA.
April 2019 – Panel Moderator and Participant; Critical Incidents, Preparation, Response, and Recovery. Massachusetts Juvenile Police Officer Annual Conference, Norwood, MA.
March 2019 – Presentation to representatives of City of Lowell Police Department on Mental Health First Aid training and Co-response replication assistance. Lowell, MA.
November 2018 – Evaluating the Impact of a Co-Responder Jail Diversion Program, American Society of Criminology 74th Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
May 2018 – Co-Response and Arrest Diversion; Massachusetts Middlesex County Restoration Center Commission, Medford, MA.
April 2018 – Panel Presentation - Community Conversation on Opioid Crisis. Framingham, MA.
October 2017 – Co-Responder Jail Diversion Program Model; Mental Health Advocacy Day, Commonwealth of Massachusetts State House, Boston, MA.
April 2017 – Poster Session: Mightier than the Sword: The Promise of Jail Diversion on Police Department Culture. National Council for Behavioral Health Providers Annual Conference, Seattle, WA.
October 2016 – Faculty Speaker, Talk of Ages Speaker Series, Lasell Village, Newton, MA.
June 2016– Keynote: De-Escalation; Strategies for Success. Department of Mental Health 8th Annual Law Enforcement and Mental Health Partnerships Conference. Fitchburg, MA.
May 2016 – Panel presentation. Best Practices in Jail Diversion. Massachusetts Police Chiefs Training series, Norwood, MA.
February 2016 – Successfully De-escalating Crisis. Worcester Police Department Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training, Worcester, MA.
December 2015 – Panel Presentation; Best Practices in Co-Response Jail Diversion; Maynard Police Department, Maynard, MA.
October 2015 – Panel Presentation. Mental Health and Law Enforcement Collaborations. Massachusetts Association of Criminal Justice Educators. Fitchburg, MA.
September 2015 – Panel Presentation. Best Practices in Jail Diversion. Massachusetts Police Chiefs Training series, Norwood, MA.
June 2015 – ASHH Regional Jail Diversion Program. Department of Mental Health and Law Enforcement Annual Conference. Fitchburg, MA.
April 2015 – Panel presentation. Mental Health and Police Encounters (CHNA 7), Marlborough, MA.
June 2013 – Framingham Jail Diversion Program; Groves Conference on Marriage and Family; Newton, MA.
May 2013 – Assisting Families in Need; Wayside Parent Support Network, Framingham, MA.
September 2012 – Police and Mental Health Collaborations; Massachusetts Municipal Supervisors Training Program, Marlborough, MA.
November 2011 – Policing and Mental Health: Meeting the Standard; Police Accreditation Conference, Brewster, MA.
November 2011 – Panel Presentation. Lt. Governors ‘Forum for Veterans, Boston, MA.
September 2011 – Co-Responding; How Mental Health Professionals and Police Officers Work Together, International Conference for Police CIT, Virginia Beach, VA.
June 2011 – Mental Health Crisis in the Community: Tools for Police Officers, Watertown Police Department, Watertown, MA.
June 2010 – An Introduction to the Advocates Pre-Arrest Co-Responder Jail Diversion Program model, Department of Mental Health Annual Forensic In-Service Training, Shrewsbury, MA.
May 2010 – Preventing Suicide with the Framingham Jail Diversion Program; Massachusetts Suicide Prevention Conference, Suicide Prevention across the Lifespan: A Strategic Approach for Your Community. Marlborough, MA.
June 2009– Who do you call? A Primer on What to Expect When Calling 911 in a Behavioral Health Emergency; Concerned Parents of the Mentally Ill, Framingham Public Library, Framingham, MA.
May 2009 – Partnering with Mental Health Advocates; Shrewsbury Police Department, Shrewsbury, MA.
April 2009 – Policy Considerations: What Police Departments Need to Know; Massachusetts Police Accreditation Conference, Falmouth, MA.
March 2009 – Framingham Jail Diversion Program: A Statewide Model. Presented to Harvard University Medical Students, Harvard University School of Medicine, Boston, MA.
November 2008 – Collaborative Partnerships with Police. Presented at the Town of Framingham Human Relations Committee Annual Meeting, Metrowest Medical Center, Framingham Union, Framingham, MA.
May 2008 – The Rainmaker, Models of Sustainability. Presented at the Metro West Community Health Care Foundation Learning Conference, Framingham, MA.
May 2007 – Replicating the Framingham Jail Diversion Program. Presented to National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Fall River, MA.
March 2007 – Diversion of the Mentally Ill. Presented at the Massachusetts Bay Community College Annual Drug Policy Forum. Wellesley, MA.
February 2007 – A State-Wide Model for Police/Mental Health Collaborations; Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education Annual Conference, Boston, MA.
April 2006 – Framingham Jail Diversion Program; Innovations in Police/Mental Health Partnership. National GAINS Center conference, “System Transformation at the Interface of the Criminal Justice and Mental Health Systems.” Boston, MA.
May 2005 – Preventing Cell Suicides in Police Custody; How Collaborating with Police Saves Lives. “Taking Action, Saving Lives: Suicide Prevention across the Lifespan.” The Fourth Annual Massachusetts Suicide Prevention Conference. Worcester, MA.
October 2004 – Diversion of the Mentally Ill; the Framingham Jail Diversion Program. National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Annual Conference, Westford, MA.
October 2004 – Compassionate Justice for the Mentally Ill; Massachusetts Department of Corrections 20th Annual Training Conference, “The New Corrections” Milford, MA.
September 2004 – Partnering with Police; What Mental Health Providers Need to Know. Criminal Justice Policy Coalition Annual Conference, Worcester, MA.
May 2004 – The Criminalization of the Mentally Ill. Presented at the National GAINS Center conference; “From Science to Services, Emerging Best Practices for People in Contact with the Justice System.” Las Vegas, Nevada.

Concurrent Leadership, Service and Professional Activities

Member of the Board of Directors, International Co-Responder Alliance (ICRA)
Advisory Board member, Violently Injured Police Officers (VIPO)

Prior Experience

2021-Present – Founder and Principal - Abbott Solutions for Justice, LLC
2003-March 2021 – Director of Jail Diversion - Advocates, Inc, Framingham, Massachusetts