Author

Josh McGhee

Josh McGhee is an investigative reporter covering the intersection of criminal justice and mental health with an emphasis on public records and data reporting. He has covered Chicago on various beats for the last decade, including criminal justice, courts, policing, race, inequality, politics and community news. He’s previously reported at DNAinfo Chicago, WVON, the Chicago Reporter and most recently Injustice Watch. His stories have been carried by US News and World Report, Miami Herald, the Kansas City Star, the Sacramento Bee, and many other papers. He attended Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri. McGhee lives on the South Side of Chicago. Bonus fact: He has served as a coach for children in the All-American Basketball Academy. You can contact him at Josh.McGhee@mindsitenews.org.

Josh's Latest Articles

‘I didn’t want something bad to happen’

In New York, a man was shot by police during a mental health crisis after his father called 311. And earlier this month, Spotlight PA took a deep dive into the competency review process in Pennsylvania after learning about a woman trapped in the incompetent system.

High percentage of arrests involve both mental illness, substance use

A new study from Pew Charitable Trusts finds that one in nine arrests are of people with both mental illness and addiction. We also explore the story of Anthony Gay, who lives with serious mental illness and was originally sentenced to seven years in prison, but ended up with 97 years added to his sentence.

dangers of mental health crisis arrests
One in Nine Arrests Are of People with Both Mental Illness and Addiction, New Study Finds

Some 7.5 million people were arrested in the U.S. in 2020, and more than 10 million people were arrested each year in the 2010s. Now a new study looking at three of those years, 2017 to 2019, finds that one in nine of all arrests was of a person grappling with both a mental health and substance use disorder.

A Healed Black Man Works to Heal Others

During his six decades on the planet, Douglas Reed has worn many uniforms. He spent two decades in Army fatigues, then did a tour in federal prisons as a corrections officer.  Nowadays he tours the U.S. talking about his mental health journey. MindSite News Reporter Josh McGhee spoke with him about his path.

Chicago Experiments with Crisis Response Units, Grapples With Dilemma: Include Police or Not

Chicago has been rolling out a pilot program testing alternative ways to respond to mental health-related 911 calls. The program is meeting with success, but handles only a fraction of those calls. The effort has kicked off a debate about the role of police.

John Fetterman, JB Pritzker, Daniel Thatcher among Candidates of Both Parties Pledging to Boost Mental Health Policies

More than 330 elected officials and political candidates have pledged to make mental health a priority in their platform just weeks before the midterm elections.

Colorado Senate Candidates Michael Bennett, Joe O’Dea to Take Part in Mental Health Forum Cosponsored by MindSite News

Mental health is becoming a political issue – and that’s a good thing. On Tuesday, Oct. 18, Colorado U.S. Senate candidates Michael Bennett and Joe O’Dea will discuss mental health issues in a campaign forum.

Every gift supports trustworthy, mental health reporting — and it's matched dollar for dollar through Dec. 31.

Join us Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 10:00 am PT for our next free webinar.

 

Some therapists who had trouble connecting with youth turned to another source of connection: Minecraft therapy, which follows the approach of play therapy. In this webinar, we’ll talk with two leading experts in the promising genre.

Close the CTA

How Minecraft Therapy Is Transforming Child and Teen Mental Health Care