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CSC’s Mental Health Initiative For Safer Communities

Improved capacities to address mental health needs of offenders

BY G. Chartier , Communications Officer, Communications and Citizen Engagement

Photos: Bill Rankin

The percentage of offenders with a diagnosed mental illness admitted into the Correctional Service of Canada’s (CSC) jurisdiction has risen steadily from seven percent in 1997 to twelve percent in 2005. “This is quite a dramatic increase,” says Jane Laishes, Senior Manager, Mental Health Services, CSC.

Based on a 2000 study of 202 federal inmates in British Columbia and applying the results to CSC’s entire offender population, it is estimated that approximately 1500 inmates incarcerated in penitentiaries and 1000 offenders on some form of conditional release in Canadian communities are currently suffering from serious mental disorders.

Working out of CSC’s National Headquarters, Ms. Laishes and Dr. Andrea Moser are leading a team from across CSC to implement the Community Mental Health Initiative (CMI). This initiative, which has received Treasury Board funding for a 5-year period, is aimed at addressing the needs of these offenders in order to promote their safe reintegration into the community upon release.

Continuity of Support

The primary objective of the initiative is to better prepare offenders by strengthening the continuity of specialized support from the institution to the community.

“One of the key tasks,” Dr. Moser says, “will be to link up with the existing service providers in various communities, to better orient them to meet the needs and issues of this population.”

To accomplish this continuity of care the key elements of the CMI are: enhanced discharge planning; transitional mental health services and support; community mental health specialists to support offenders in the community; training in mental health issues for community staff; and specialized services such as emergency psychiatric assessments.

Approximately 50 new positions will be created across the country to support the initiative, including 30 community mental health specialists (e.g., clinical social workers and psychiatric nurses) at selected parole sites as well as clinical discharge planners to provide services at all regional treatment centres (RTC) and regular institutions. In addition, funds will be provided to each region for contracts to provide mental health services.

Implementation

A steering committee has been created made up of regional representatives as well as NHQ staff. “We’re working together with the regions to refine the implementation, making sure that we have a very sound model in place,” Ms. Laishes says.

“Throughout the planning we have had conference calls and meetings with individuals who are currently involved with discharge planning and ambulatory care services for offenders with mental disorders,” she adds.

Ensuring the Best Services

“There are specific considerations for each region,” notes Ms. Laishes. “For example, Prairie Region faces the challenge of geographic reality.” The region stretches over 1500 kilometres from northwestern Ontario across the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta and north to include the Northwest Territories.

“We want to ensure that with the resources we have, we provide the best services possible,” says Dr. Moser.

Role of the Discharge Planner

Whether the offender is being released from an RTC or from another institution, the clinical discharge planner will be important in making the bridge to the community health specialists.

“The role of the clinical discharge planner is to start the planning process for release early enough so that things can be set up,” Dr. Moser says. “Some limited discharge planning is already occurring at some of the RTCs across the country.”

Comprehensive Training for Staff

In order to help staff work effectively, a very practical training model is being developed that will be delivered on an annual basis at each of the 16 designated parole sites.

“It will focus very much on the kinds of skills and understandings that staff in the halfway houses and parole offices need in order to best intervene,” says Jane Laishes.

“How to make appropriate referrals, work with the family, work as part of an effective team, understand how to approach the offender when they seem to be having difficulties, understand how to de-escalate things, those kinds of really practical skills.”

Safer Communities

The Community Mental Health Initiative includes an evaluation component at approximately the three year mark. Although permanent funding has not been designated, it is hopeful that support will be provided to ensure the ongoing implementation of this important initiative.

“In a nutshell,” adds Dr. Moser, “there is an increase in need for services targeted towards this type of offenders. The Community Mental Health Initiative is what we’re trying to do to ensure that their needs are met and to promote successful reintegration.”♦