Evaluation of California's Mental Health Services Continuum Program for Parolees

• NCJ Number: 217039
• Journal: Corrections Today Magazine Volume: 68 Issue: 7 Dated: December 2006 Pages: 38-41
• Author(s): David Farabee
• Date Published: December 2006
• Length: 4 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article presents evaluation and cost analysis results for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Mental Health Services Continuum Program (MHSCP).

Abstract

Results of the process evaluation indicate that the MHSCP has improved the rate at which mentally ill offenders are identified and assessment prior to their release. Of the MHSCP-eligible offenders in the study sample, 14.3 percent were identified within 45 days of their release as in need of mental health assessment. Among parolees who were identified as needing assessment at least 45 days prior to their release, assessment rates increased from 40.9 percent between July 2001 and December 2001 to 70.9 percent between July 2004 and December 2004. Among mentally ill offenders who were assessed prior to release, 66.2 percent attended at least one parole outpatient clinic compared to 50.8 percent of mentally ill offenders who did not receive a prerelease assessment. Assessed parolees also attended a greater number of parole outpatient sessions than their nonassessed counterparts. Results of the outcome evaluation revealed that receiving a prerelease assessment was associated with a 19 percent decrease in the likelihood of being reincarcerated within 12 months of release. Additionally, attending one or more parole outpatient clinic session was associated with a 37 percent drop in recidivism. The cost analysis indicated that the prerelease assessment program resulted in a savings of $2,194 for each parolee with severe mental illness and $712 for each parolee with moderate or mild mental illness. The data show that the greatest cost savings can be achieved by targeting severely mentally ill inmates for assessment and postrelease treatment. The evaluation included the 49,667 inmates who were released from prison between July 2001 and December 2003. The author discusses the background of the MHSCP and describes the program design, which focuses on reducing the symptoms of mental illness among parolees by providing prerelease assessments and postrelease mental health services. Figures, endnotes, references