The Sozosei Lab to End the Criminalization of Mental Illness brings together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and funders to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, the criminalization of people with mental illness. The Lab functions as a bridge between research, policy, and practice, accelerating the use of evidence-based solutions to drive meaningful community and psychiatric impact.
Grounded in the belief that there is no health without mental health, the Lab advances creative, data-driven approaches that prioritize dignity, equity, and care over punishment for people with mental illness.
Launched in 2021 with the release of the National Strategic Research Framework to Decriminalize Mental Illness, the Lab advances evidence-based strategies to reduce the criminalization of people with serious mental illness by building a diverse pipeline of scholars, convening cross-sector leaders, and producing actionable research to inform policy and practice. This work is grounded in a National Research Framework developed by Lab leadership in partnership with experts from across the nation. The Framework was first unveiled at the 2024 Sozosei Summit and was published in 2025.
In its early years, the Lab is focused on building the infrastructure, partnerships, and service lines necessary for long-term, sector-defining impact while remaining grounded in evidence, collaboration, and community needs. No single institution currently serves as a central hub to translate research into implementation, engage and align stakeholders, and shift both policy and public narrative. The Sozosei Lab is designed to fill this gap by functioning as a national “bridge institution” integrating research, policy, practice, and the arts to generate scalable solutions.
