8.6 Summary
- There are many pieces that need to come together for successful reintegration back into the community post-incarceration. We discussed how housing, employment, treatment and education programs can benefit people post-incarceration.
- There is both national and local legislation that has impacted access to services and funding to support people post-incarceration.
- Recent legal advocacy efforts have shortened people’s length of time spent incarcerated. This has allowed for more focus on post-incarceration programming to support people upon release from custody.
- People with mental disorders continue to struggle in successful reentry back into the community post-incarceration. It is with all hope that on-going conversations, policy changes, and best practices are implemented to better support someone releasing from prison and managing their mental disorder.
8.6.1 Key Terms
- Continuity of care: When two or more service providers or agencies work together to move a client from a higher or lower level of care.
- Criminogenic risk factors: Areas in a person’s life that are directly tied or associated with risk of recidivism.
- Evidence-based practices: Practices that are driven by the best available scientific data, rather than habit or tradition. Evidence-based_practice
- Group living: A common form of housing for people recently released from prison. An example is sober housing, where someone must be able to demonstrate sobriety.
- Medication management: The practice where a prescriber orders use of a medication, and then monitors the impacts and outcomes of that treatment for their patient, making changes as needed.
- Peer Support Workers: Also known as Peer Mentors, people who share their own lived experience to support individuals who are moving towards change in their lives. Peer support workers may provide recovery services or case management.
- Residential treatment homes: Supportive living facilities for people with mental disorders.
- Risk assessments: Tools that are regularly utilized to assess the risk of violence and recidivism. Risk tools can be helpful with identifying risk factors related to reentry planning and treatment planning.
- Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) Model: A model that states that the risks and needs of the criminal system-involved individual should determine the strategies appropriate for providing treatment and interventions to the individual.
- Second Chance Act (SCA): A federal law passed in 2008 that authorizes funding to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for people returning to the community post-incarceration. SCA grants have funded programs that support housing, employment, vocational training, and education programming for people reentering their communities.
8.6.2 Discussion Questions
- Discuss the importance of providing mental health and counseling services tailored to the unique needs of people reentering the community post-incarceration.
- What are some of the most significant challenges faced by individuals reentering the community after being incarcerated? How do these challenges impact their ability to reintegrate into society?
- Name ways community resources can decrease barriers for incarcerated people releasing back into the community. Specifically, barriers related to housing, employment, treatment services, etc.
8.6.3 Summary Licenses and Attributions
“Summary” by Kendra Harding is licensed under CC BY 4.0.