Author

Josh McGhee

Josh McGhee is the Chicago bureau chief of MindSite News and covers the intersection of criminal justice and mental health with an emphasis on public records and data reporting. He previously reported for Injustice Watch, the Chicago Reporter, DNAinfo Chicago and WVON covering criminal justice, courts, policing, race, inequality and politics. He lives on the South Side of Chicago.

Josh's Latest Articles

Helping Black Men Heal

This month, we chat with an Army vet and retired corrections officer who is now a mental health advocate for Black men. We look at the lack of police officers trained in crisis intervention techniques in New Hampshire. And more.

Chicago experiments with crisis response

An in-depth look at Chicago's new effort to create a mobile response system – and the debate over the role police should play. Also, a Los Angeles mother struggles to get help for her son. And voices of people who have been involuntarily hospitalized in NYC.

Mental illness and the courts

Many defendants charged with misdemeanors or non-violent felonies spend excessive time in jail – often more time than if they were convicted – awaiting these mental health evaluations. 

It’s transgender awareness week

Some states keep pushing anti-trans measures. The New York Times stirs the pot. And an Adderall shortage could spell trouble.

Can cash rewards help meth users quit?

California will soon become the first state to use Medicaid funds to pay meth users to quit and stay clean. We also check in on how an insomniac grapples with her bedtime screen habits, and share some tips for wintertime blues.

Covid kids face tough time in college

The pandemic kids are all grown up and starting college – and it's off to a rocky start. We also stop by the forensic unit at a state hospital in Pennsylvania that uses emergency psych meds 80% more than the state average. Plus, police reforms passed in the wake of George’s Floyd murder have faced pushback.

Introducing Diagnosis: Injustice

This is the inaugural edition of “Diagnosis: Injustice,” the MindSite News newsletter exploring the intersection of mental health and criminal justice, written by me, Josh McGhee. I’ve been reporting on criminal justice issues for more than a decade and it's truly my pleasure to break the fourth wall with you on this imperative topic.

Wisconsin best, Kansas worst in state rankings of mental health and services

This year’s State of Mental Health in America Report, produced by Mental Health America, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization, painted a picture of a country experiencing high rates of mental illness, limited access to services and significant barriers to care. 

In Chicago, Black Residents Calling 911 For Mental Crises More Likely to Face Tasers, Batons & Guns When Police Arrive

This past summer, the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline made its debut, creating an easy-to-remember phone number people can call to get help for a mental health crisis. Has it helped change the dynamic between police and people with a history of mental illness?

Family Tragedies Inspire Legislators to Form Caucus and Work to ‘Fix Broken Mental Health System’

As a high school student growing up in Utah, Daniel Thatcher grappled with depression and the suicide of a close friend. Now the Utah state senator is co-chair of a new legislative caucus working to improve mental health services across the country.

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