People with mental illness, regardless of whether they are in prison or jail or in the community, usually require therapeutic interventions that range well beyond their need for medication. Individuals in this population may need training in basic skills for daily living and socialization, peer support, or counseling to resume (or modify) productive routines that may have been compromised by their mental health issues. As with access to medications, access to services that help people with mental health disorders to acquire skills that increase their self-reliance and ability to cope in stressful settings will result in fewer hospitalizations and lower rates of recidivism. In addition, interventions that help in the development of social skills will enhance a person's ability to succeed in a community setting, especially in cases of long-standing, untreated mental illness. (See Policy Statement 14, Behaviors and Attitudes, for more on teaching people in correctional facilities social skills and activities of daily living.)

Certain individuals will need to be connected to trauma treatment services, while others should generally concentrate on specific problem-solving and skill-building needs. When counseling is needed, it should always be provided by trained professionals; many jurisdictions require case managers to hold counseling degrees and to deliver counseling along with program planning and transition planning in the correctional facility. Transition planners, whether or not they are trained counselors themselves, should be sure to incorporate access to counseling services in the plans of those individuals with mental illnesses who need them. Such counseling may be delivered through supportive housing providers, or corrections administrators may partner with state or local mental health agencies or other service providers to provide counseling in addition to clinical treatment.

Some people with mental health disorders will benefit from involvement in peer or community support groups or mentor relationships. Programs delivered in correctional and community settings have demonstrated the effectiveness of peer or family supports in helping people with mental health conditions to develop skills and habits that will enhance their recovery.

Example: The TAMAR Project, Maryland Mental Hygiene Administration

The TAMAR Project provides significant peer support to women with histories of trauma, substance abuse, and mental illness in Maryland's county correctional facilities. Meeting in groups, the women are encouraged to share their stories with one another and to engage in therapeutic activities such as art therapy and journal writing. A key feature of the TAMAR project is that the supports it provides in jail extend to the community; women engaged in the program are able to participate in a program populated by others who have "been there" upon release.

For the many inmates, male or female, with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders, such supports can be especially important as a way to develop habits that will keep them stable and help them avoid further substance abuse problems or criminal justice system involvement upon release to the community. (See Policy Statement 12, Substance Abuse Treatment, for more on engaging community members or peer support systems.)