Background The objective of this study is to evaluate if access to Samaritan, a digital support platform, improves the social determinants of health (SDOH) needs for patients enrolled in a jail diversion program in Jacksonville, FL. Methodology A total of 59 patients who were enrolled in a jail diversion program for homeless mentally ill misdemeanor offenders in Jacksonville, FL, participated in the study. Of the 59 patients, 47 individuals consented to participate in Samaritan while 12 declined participation. Demographics and the Health Leads Social Needs Screening Tool scores from the electronic health record were compared between groups along with average financial support from Samaritan. These non-normally distributed variables were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Results The majority of study participants were male (92%, n = 43). The average age of study participants was 42 years. The average income from donors on the platform over three months for those who opted in was $48.80 (SD = 53.75). Among the individual Health Leads Social Needs Screening Tool questions, intact Housing was statistically significant (Z = -2.002, p = 0.045), suggesting access to a digital technology such as Samaritan might help improve SDOH needs. Conclusions Access to digital technologies, such as Samaritan, might help offenders with mental illness adjust to the many challenges they face upon reentry into the community. As such, these devices may represent one means for improving SDOH needs for disadvantaged mental health patients.
Keywords: homelessness; jail diversion; mental health services; public psychiatry; social determinants of health (sdoh).
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