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Abstract: 

On any given day, 300,000 to 400,000 people with mental illnesses are incarcerated in jails and prisons across the United States. The American Psychiatric Association has set up guidelines for psychiatric services in jails and prisons stating that the policy goal of correctional mental health care is to provide the same level of mental health services to each patient in the criminal justice process as should be available in the community. Teaching correctional staff to develop a rapport with the inmates under their care and to recognize and document abrupt changes in typical behavior can enable mental health staff to determine what next steps are needed to effectively address the mental health problems of these individuals.

Keywords: Correctional mental health, right to treatment, staff training, addiction, “knowing your inmate”

Affiliations:  1: Alvis.