Headline
Toolkit offers guidance for corrections and healthcare professionals on evidence-based interventions to support the reentry needs of people with behavioral health needs.
Context
People with mental health and substance use needs are over-represented in prisons and jails and they experience high risk of symptom recurrence, including overdose, upon release. Health care and correctional (prison or jail) professionals have opportunities to work together and strengthen reentry processes for this group of people with behavioral health needs.
About This Tool
This resource offers guidance for providers and community-based organizations interested in developing programming to support individuals with behavioral health needs reentering communities from prisons and jails. The resource is organized under the following sections:
- Overview on the prevalence of people with behavioral health in prisons and jails and key challenges to successful reentry;
- Summary of research related to three proven reentry interventions — medications for addiction treatment, case management, and peer and patient navigation;
- Considerations and tools for implementing these three reentry interventions;
- Case studies on four reentry programs using at least one of the reentry interventions; and
- Guidance on program evaluation.
Takeaways
Health care and correctional professionals can use this resource to improve services offered to people with behavioral health needs as they transition from jails and prions into communities.