NCJ Number
177204
Journal
American Jails Volume: 12 Issue: 6 Dated: January/February 1999 Pages: 83-85
Date Published
1999
Length
3 pages
Annotation
In Massachusetts as elsewhere, mentally ill persons are disproportionately represented in correctional populations and many have substance abuse disorders, and an interdisciplinary treatment approach is needed given the complex nature of substance abuse, mental illness, and criminality.
Abstract
To this end, a collaborative project has been funded by the Addiction Technology Transfer Center of New England that involves an interdisciplinary training program for mental health and criminal justice professionals who work with mentally ill offenders. The training program focuses on assessing mental health and substance abuse needs of mentally ill offenders, recognizing gender variations in these needs, facilitating the smooth transition of mentally ill offenders back to the community, and increasing awareness of the resources and expertise available to provide overlapping mental health services before and after release to the community. The training program includes four 3-hour segments with sessions on dual diagnosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, community reintegration, and programs and resources for mentally ill offenders. Action steps have been identified as part of the training process that other agencies can follow to improve services for mentally ill offenders.