Policy Statement 10 (Physical Health Care), Policy Statement 11 (Mental Health Care), and Policy Statement 12 (Substance Abuse Treatment) all explained ways to address an individual's health needs during his or her incarceration, based on assessments in these areas administered upon the person's intake into a correctional facility (Policy Statement 8, Development of Intake Procedure). If the progress made in a prisoner's physical health, mental health, or substance abuse status is to contribute to his or her successful re-entry, however, that institutional treatment must serve as a foundation for ongoing care in the community. The collaboration between community treatment providers and correctional providers is a key step towards ensuring continuity of care. The scope of collaboration is something that may vary - from referring prisoners to community resources, to educating them on the importance of continuity of care, to importing community providers into the prison or jail so that individuals have the same caregivers inside and outside the facility. This policy statement illustrates how policymakers and practitioners can prevent a gap in treatment from occurring in those moments between a person's departure from a prison or jail and his or her commencement of community-based treatment, while supervised and supported by community corrections officers (Policy Statement 27, Maintaining Continuity of Care).

Recommendations:

A.

Prepare a summary health record containing information about important medical problems, prior diagnostic studies, allergies, and medications for each person released from prison or jail prior to his or her release.

1.

Treatment regimens begun in prison or jail must often be continued upon release to be effective.

B.

Connect prisoners to treatment and health care providers in the community prior to their release to prevent gaps in treatment and services.

2.

Transition planning for continued care upon release is a major problem.

3.

Engaging community-based providers to offer services to inmates is an important strategy that shows promise in reducing the adverse affects of the complex health problems of inmates.

C.

Provide prisoners receiving medications with a sufficient interim supply of essential medications upon their discharge into the community.

D.

Educate people in prison and jail about continuity of care and provide them with the summary health record and other important medical records prior to discharge.

4.

New partnerships around mental health services show promise in improving mental health, recidivism, and cost outcomes.