Dr C Connell
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drcconnell.bsky.social
Dr C Connell
@drcconnell.bsky.social
130 followers 200 following 33 posts
Senior Research Fellow @ University of Stirling - researching health outcomes and experiences of people involved in the criminal justice system. Mental health & substance use focus. Occupational therapist.

Figuring out blue sky

#JusticeHealth #Research
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drcconnell.bsky.social
RELEASE is part of our #JusticeHealth programme. More results soon

Led by me at @sacasrstir.bsky.social and Prof Kate Hunt. @kjellgren.bsky.social is lead Research Fellow

Funds: Chief Scientist Office

Thx to a fab team inc @jimwatsonmba.bsky.social @jsavinc.bsky.social and others not on bSky 3/3
February 10, 2026 at 8:38 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
Despite more contact with community services - people released need emergency care MUCH more than others for mental health and substance use

Community services must be equipped to meet the needs of people released, to prevent harmful and costly emergencies arising

2/3
February 10, 2026 at 8:38 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
1st results from #RELEASE: a population-level study into health on release from prison

People released have more contact with all services for mental health and substance use than similar people who haven't been in prison, especially acute/emergency

bmjopen.bmj.com/content/16/2...

1/3
Health service contacts for mental health and substance use on release from prison: a retrospective population-based data linkage study
Background Mental health and substance use problems among people released from prison contribute substantially to premature mortality and emergency services demand. Understanding of mental health and ...
bmjopen.bmj.com
February 10, 2026 at 8:38 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
A good step as unmet health needs of ppl on probation are stark, esp mental health and substance use

But... will referral into a creaking system be enough? Waiting lists ++ issue for all & this group face more barriers to seeking, accessing and sustaining care.... 2/2

#JusticeHealth
January 12, 2026 at 8:44 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
New pilot in England will 'allow clinicians to sit in on probation appointments' & refer ppl to services. 1/2

#JusticeHealth

www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Thousands of offenders in England to get health support at probation meetings
Exclusive: NHS clinicians will sit in on appointments in pilot scheme in four areas aimed at reducing reoffending
www.theguardian.com
January 12, 2026 at 8:44 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
Thats a wrap. last conference of season & a joy to be back in #Helsingfors #Suomi 4 European Public Health #EPH2025 sharing RELEASE and networks results

10yrs ago I visited here & ❤️ Vanha Vaasa as an occupational therapist on my journey to phd

#JusticeHealth
#Finland #Helsinki
#OccupationalTherapy
November 12, 2025 at 8:20 PM
drcconnell.bsky.social
Come and see the RELEASE findings with @kjellgren.bsky.social at @addiction-ssa.org

#SSA2025
#JusticeHealth
November 6, 2025 at 1:39 PM
drcconnell.bsky.social
Joining the substance use research community at @addiction-ssa.org conference til tomorrow. Check out
@kjellgren.bsky.social poster with early RELEASE results, examining substance use related health service contact on release from prison: prescription to A&E

#JusticeHealth
@sacasrstir.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 7:58 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
Are you an ESRC PhD student looking for an academic placement?

Work with the RELEASE dataset to understand post-imprisonment emergency service use: with me and @kjephd.bsky.social

Happy to answer Qs

www.sgsss.ac.uk/internship/c...

#JusticeHealth
@stirlingucu.bsky.social @sacasrstir.bsky.social
Justice Health: Advancing understanding of emergency and unscheduled care use among people released from prison - Scottish Graduate School of Social Science
The successful student(s) will work with their host to conduct a bespoke analysis on an interdisciplinary topic (justice and health) using data from the RELEASE study, contribute to a paper, and creat...
www.sgsss.ac.uk
October 30, 2025 at 11:19 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
Congrats to fabulous RELEASE colleague @jsavinc.bsky.social for being an outstanding collaborator - nominated for the Stirling Uni Research Culture Awards
October 29, 2025 at 10:42 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
Led by me and Prof Kate Hunt at University of Stirling w/ @kjellgren.bsky.social leading on analysis and super colleagues: @jsavinc.bsky.social @jimwatsonmba.bsky.social and Nadine Dougall, Amanj Kurdi, Emily Tweed, Christine Haddow, Ashley Brown, Tessa Parkes and Alistair Leyland

Funded by CSO 3/3
October 29, 2025 at 9:22 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
RELEASE: A population level retrospective cohort study

- examines mental health and substance use related healthcare contacts among people released from prison
- compares to similar people who haven't been in prison
- examines groups w/different characteristics and release-type

2/3
October 29, 2025 at 9:22 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
RELEASE protocol paper is out ijpds.org/article/view...

This paper, led by @kjellgren.bsky.social describes how we created the RELEASE dataset, what is in it, and plans for analysis

Results coming soon 1/3

#JusticeHealth
@sacasrstir.bsky.social @stirunicriminology.bsky.social
Access to services for mental ill-health and substance use among people released from prison in Scotland (RELEASE): Retrospective observational cohort study protocol | International Journal ...
ijpds.org
October 29, 2025 at 9:22 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
Shout out to the colleagues in these endeavours who are enjoying Praha in spirit only (sorry!)
@jessicagreenhalgh.bsky.social Morgan T @drdavegriffiths.bsky.social Josh D @jimwatsonmba.bsky.social @kjellgren.bsky.social

And many more involved in RELEASE, 3Ps and other projects
October 7, 2025 at 6:25 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
Today I’m up twice at #WCP2025

First talking about the importance of relational contexts for mental health help-seeking among people in contact with the criminal justice system

Then cross programme reflections on involving this population in research

#JusticeHealth
@sacasrstir.bsky.social
October 7, 2025 at 6:25 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
The world psychiatric association picks its spots - last event I was at nearly 10 years ago fresh into PhD life, and now beautiful Praha, Česko

#WCP2025
October 5, 2025 at 2:31 PM
drcconnell.bsky.social
Conclusion: Lack of high-quality qualitative research exploring health impacts of mandatory SU treatment - esp for alcohol and outside USA

If implementing programmes:
- articulate your theory of change
- consider adverse consequences
- integrate harm reduction and wider health and social care 2/2
October 3, 2025 at 9:37 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
The first of our 2 reviews into mandatory substance use treatment is out

We examined perceptions of health and wellbeing impacts, and the barriers and facilitators for implementing such interventions... 1/2

rdcu.be/eI38A

#JusticeHealth
@sacasrstir.bsky.social @stirunicriminology.bsky.social
Understanding the health and well-being impacts and implementation barriers and facilitators of legally-mandated non-custodial drug and alcohol treatment for justice-involved adults: a qualitative evidence synthesis
rdcu.be
October 3, 2025 at 9:37 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
#ADRUKConf25
September 17, 2025 at 8:41 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
Joining my first @adruk2025.bsky.social conference and looking forward to hearing so many linked data papers.

@kjellgren.bsky.social and @jsavinc.bsky.social will share preliminary results from RELEASE- examining the healthcare contacts between different people released from prison.
#JusticeHealth
adr-uk.bsky.social adr-uk.bsky.social @adr-uk.bsky.social · Sep 17
It’s day one of #ADRUKConf25, after a fantastic day of pre-conference workshops yesterday (great to have seen so many of you already there).

First up, we have a welcome from Dr Emma Gordon, Director of ADR UK.

Head to the auditoriums so you don’t miss the start! @adrwales.bsky.social
September 17, 2025 at 8:37 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
Hear some preliminary findings from the RELEASE study at ADR-UK next week - post-imprisonment mental health and substance use related healthcare contacts

Abstract -> ijpds.org/article/view...

led by @jsavinc.bsky.social @kjellgren.bsky.social

@adruk2025.bsky.social
#JusticeHealth
#LinkedData
RELEASE: Identifying post-release service use disparities from a novel data-linkage study into mental health and substance use service utilisation by people released from Scottish prisons | ...
ijpds.org
September 9, 2025 at 9:25 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
Great to be invited by the Criminal Justice Committee to share academic alongside frontline evidence. Excellent to hear the MSPs asking insightful questions to try and improve things for people in and leaving custody in Scotland

#JusticeHealth
@scotparl.bsky.social
stirunicriminology.bsky.social Stirling Criminology @stirunicriminology.bsky.social · Sep 1
Dr Catriona Connell will be giving evidence to Scottish Parliament Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday. It's part of their Inquiry into harm caused by substance misuse in Scottish prisons. See 🔗 for details.

@drcconnell.bsky.social @sacasrstir.bsky.social

🔗
www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-...
Photo of a Victorian-era prison with a barbed wire fence in the foreground
September 3, 2025 at 7:55 PM
drcconnell.bsky.social
2nd & 3rd yr SGSSS PhD students can come on academic placement with me & @kjellgren.bsky.social at @sacasrstir.bsky.social

Work with the RELEASE dataset examining health service contacts on release from prison

If eligible you'll have details in your inbox from
@sgsss.bsky.social

#JusticeHealth
September 2, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Reposted by Dr C Connell
stirunicriminology.bsky.social
Dr Catriona Connell will be giving evidence to Scottish Parliament Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday. It's part of their Inquiry into harm caused by substance misuse in Scottish prisons. See 🔗 for details.

@drcconnell.bsky.social @sacasrstir.bsky.social

🔗
www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-...
Photo of a Victorian-era prison with a barbed wire fence in the foreground
September 1, 2025 at 11:53 AM
drcconnell.bsky.social
**important findings on universal mental well-being/health interventions in schools**
V important to measure harms: we should challenge introducing this type of programme - esp if reducing provision of targeted evidence based provision for CYP in need

www.nationalelfservice.net/populations-...
School mental health trials show mixed results and unexpected harms
The Education for Wellbeing programme, funded by the Department for Education, was one of England’s largest school-based mental health research initiatives.
www.nationalelfservice.net
July 20, 2025 at 6:01 AM