Social and Independent Living Skills for Psychiatric Patients in a Prison Setting: Innovations and Challenges

There is a tremendous need for mental health services in correctional settings. An innovative psychosocial rehabilitation program that emphasizes skills training has been implemented by a state mental health agency within a large state prison. Preliminary results indicate that the treatment is effective in teaching social and independent living skills to mentally ill inmates. However, durability of treatment effects ultimately depends on the ability to track and to provide follow-up services for inmates after they are discharged to the general prison facility or to parole settings. Recommendations for developing and implementing effective systems of delivering mental health services in prisons are offered.