Dear Community,

Coming home after incarceration is not only a logistical transition. It is often an emotional one. For many individuals, reentry involves trauma, loss, chronic stress, disrupted family relationships, untreated behavioral health needs, and the challenge of rebuilding trust in themselves and in the institutions meant to support them.

Our Mental Health, Trauma, and Healing During Reentry panel brings together leaders from behavioral health, probation, diversion, healthcare, collaborative courts, and peer support to explore what healing-centered reentry truly requires.

What makes this conversation unique is the breadth of perspectives represented on one stage. Rarely do behavioral health providers, court leaders, probation professionals, physicians, peer support specialists, and collaborative court practitioners come together to discuss how their systems intersect in the lives of people returning home from incarceration.

The discussion will explore:

• The emotional and psychological realities of reentry
• Trauma, grief, chronic stress, and identity loss
• Mental health diversion and treatment-focused alternatives
• The role of peer support in rebuilding trust and stability
• Behavioral health services and continuity of care
• Supporting justice-involved youth and young adults
• Collaborative approaches that improve outcomes and reduce recidivism
• What communities, providers, and families can do to support healing

Attendees will gain practical insight into how systems can work together to support long-term well-being, recovery, and successful reintegration. What happens when healing becomes just as important as supervision, treatment, and compliance? Because when people return home, they need more than services. They need connection, stability, dignity, and a community willing to walk alongside them.

Moderator

Peter Murphy
Outreach Manager, Mental Health Association of San Francisco
A native San Franciscan with more than 30 years in the recovery community, Peter Murphy brings extensive lived experience and a deep commitment to behavioral health and reentry. He has worked at the Mental Health Association of San Francisco since 2015 and currently builds partnerships with community organizations throughout the Bay Area.

Panelists

April Torres
Deputy Chief Behavioral Health Officer, HealthRIGHT 360
A behavioral health leader with more than three decades of experience, April Torres has helped develop innovative treatment and integrated care programs. A graduate of HealthRIGHT 360's Prototypes program, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to recovery and systems transformation.

Melanie Kushnir, LCSW
Pretrial Division Director, San Francisco Adult Probation Department
Melanie has more than 20 years of experience in behavioral health, reentry, and criminal justice reform. She has led specialized courts, diversion initiatives, and treatment-focused programs, including Mental Health Diversion and CARE Court implementation in San Francisco.

Sarah Bradach, MPP
Mental Health Diversion Coordinator, Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco
Sarah oversees efforts to expand access to treatment for diversion participants and has worked extensively in youth mental health and justice-related initiatives. She brings valuable insight into how courts, providers, and communities can collaborate to improve outcomes.

Shaween Sullivan
Peer Support Specialist, Mental Health Association of San Francisco
Shaween supports individuals transitioning from incarceration through the Post-Incarceration Peer Support Program. His work highlights the vital role of trust, dignity, lived experience, and peer support in successful reentry.

Dr. Tomás A. Magaña, MD, MA, FAAP
Founding Director, FACES for the Future Coalition
Dr. Magaña is a nationally recognized physician and advocate who has dedicated his career to improving outcomes for vulnerable and justice-involved youth. Formerly Medical Director of Alameda County's Juvenile Justice Center, he brings expertise in trauma, health disparities, and youth development.

Celina Hennessey, LMFT
Clinical Director of Innovation and Development, Felton Institute
Celina leads innovative behavioral health initiatives and supports San Francisco's Young Adult Court. Her work focuses on trauma-informed care, collaborative justice, and connecting young adults to the services they need to achieve long-term stability.

Be in the Room

This panel takes place at 9:00 AM in Hall C. If you care about mental health, recovery, trauma-informed care, public safety, healing, or the future of reentry, this is a conversation you will not want to miss.

Mental health is often the missing piece in successful reentry. Successful reentry is not only about securing employment, housing, or education. It is also about healing, wellness, and having the mental and emotional strength to move forward. Join us for this important conversation on healing, recovery, and the partnerships that help people rebuild their lives.

Pre-register today:

Website link: Reentry Conference and Expo - Archdiocese of San Francisco