Jenny Johnson

I'm a former deputy public defender who helped launch San Francisco’s nationally acclaimed Behavioral Health Court. During the 15 years that I managed the mental health court, I also consulted on public policy and criminal justice reform at the local, state and national levels. I'm currently a Senior Consultant with the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and provide technical assistance and training for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, the Vera Institute of Justice and the MacArthur Safety and Justice Challenge. I've published two book chapters on mental health and criminal justice for the American Bar Association and I teach a course on mental health at Berkeley Law with neuropsychiatrist George Woods, M.D. I am also co-director and co-host with Lee Romney of November In My Soul, a deeply reported narrative podcast that explores the intersection of mental illness, confinement and liberty in California through a historical and intersectional lens. I am excited to bring to our project deep connections with psychiatric, legal and community mental health experts across the country as well as lasting relationships with former clients and their families.