Mental Health Treatment in a State Prison: Managing Challenges

Abstract

Mental health services exist in prisons. Participants often abuse psychoactive substances. Substance abuse treatment programs in prison manifest a custodial culture of safety and control. Substance abuse among inmate participants in mental health programming must be dealt with in the context of mental health treatment. Mental health treatment, which is less coercive than substance abuse programming in prisons, shows a promise of effectiveness in reducing the harm of substance abuse to inmates, even when dealt with as part of mental health problems in general. Ways that groups can be used, as a primary treatment influencing substance abusive behavior within prison mental health programs, is discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• women
• prison
• psychotherapy
• open-ended
• peer