NCJ Number
229073
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 53 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2009 Pages: 634-647
Date Published
December 2009
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This article describes the results of a consensus panel held in February 2007 to develop performance measures for selected elements of psychiatric treatment in correctional settings.
Abstract
The article summarizes the efforts to define standards for mental health care in correctional settings. The primary finding is that the roundtable format was extraordinarily successful: for-profit private correctional health care providers (PCHCPs) along with the participation of psychiatric consultants and academics were able to reach consensus on a number of performance measures that ranged across the gamut of correctional mental health care. Performance measures were developed for medication adherence, suicide prevention, mental health treatment planning, and sleep medication usage. The article notes that the establishment of industry performance standards is a necessary step toward improving the quality of services; this is a challenge for government agencies. Envisioned is a marketplace where PCHCPs are expected to adhere to the industry standards, thereby helping to ensure better patient outcomes consistent with community standards. Data were collected on February 24, 2007, where the Prisoner Reentry Institute at John Jay College of Criminal Justice hosted a roundtable for 29 participants, including 17 from large private correctional and behavioral health providers, 6 correctional psychiatrists, and 1 correctional psychologist, most of whom are independent and active as experts in prison and jail litigation. References