Discharge Planning for Offenders with Co-Occurring Disorders: The Role of Collaboration, Medication, and Staff

Abstract

Concern for offenders with co-occurring disorders is increasing, and few studies have examined the degree of discharge planning provided for this population. The study explored how well the selected factors (medication, community support, and resources) predict the degree of discharge planning for offenders with co-occurring disorders. A secondary dataset using a national sample of administrators in criminal justice treatment programs (N = 147) was used for the analysis. Provision of medication upon release was the strongest predictor. Furthermore, the findings suggested collaborations with external groups and having dedicated staff may impact the level of discharge planning.

KEYWORDS:

• co-occurring disorders
• discharge planning
• mental illness
• offenders
• substance use disorders

Notes

Preliminary analyses were conducted to ensure no violation of the assumptions of normality, linearity, multicollinearity and homoscedasticity. The VIF score of the variables were: medication (1.27), support from communities (1.45), collaborations with external groups (1.35), follow-up services (1.80), staff positions in discharge planning (1.71), and deployment of social workers (1.06).