Dr. Jennie Simpson

Biography

Jennie M. Simpson is a recognized policy expert in cross-sector collaborations within behavioral health and criminal justice systems. As an Affiliate Faculty at Dell Medical School, she also serves as the associate commissioner for forensic services at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. In this role, she is responsible for the coordination and oversight of forensic services and has led innovative statewide policy initiatives directed by Senate Bill 1507 during the 84th Legislature. With extensive experience, she has held senior advisory positions at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, focusing on initiatives aimed at improving mental health and substance use disorder management within the criminal justice system. Simpson has also contributed to law enforcement collaborations and provided training on behavioral health practices to improve case management for justice-involved individuals. Additionally, she is an executive advisory board member at the Caruth Police Institute at the University of North Texas at Dallas and has previously served on Medicaid Reentry Workgroup for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from American University.

Research Interests