Commissioner's Directive
Date:
2012-03-13
Number - Numéro:
850
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Issued under the authority of the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada
POLICY OBJECTIVE
1. Ensure that the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) provides every offender with essential mental health care and reasonable access to non-essential mental health care that will contribute to the offender’s rehabilitation and successful reintegration into the community.
AUTHORITY
2.Corrections and Conditional Release Act, sections 85, 86, 87 and 88
APPLICATION
3. This Commissioner’s Directive applies to all staff and contractors involved in the provision of mental health services to offenders.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND PROCEDURES
4. The Assistant Commissioner, Health Services, will:
- establish national guidelines for delivery of mental health services;
- authorize the development and delivery of standardized mental health training;
- establish procedures to monitor mental health service delivery to offenders; and
- develop indicators for the allocation of mental health resources, as required.
5. For all mental health services (except for the Community Mental Health Initiative), the Regional Deputy Commissioner, in collaboration with the Regional Director, Health Services, will:
- ensure that resources and procedures are in place to support the delivery of mental health services in accordance with professional standards and applicable national guidelines; and
- manage, coordinate and monitor mental health services to offenders and standardized mental health training for staff.
6. For the Community Mental Health Initiative, the responsibilities outlined in the preceding paragraph are that of the Regional Director, Health Services, in collaboration with the Regional Deputy Commissioner.
7. The Regional Mental Health Council is responsible for the development of integrated strategies and processes in matters relating to mental health services within a region. It is comprised of:
- Regional Director, Health Services (Co-Chair);
- Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Institutional Operations, or Director, Interventions (Co Chair);
- Executive Director, Treatment Centre;
- Regional Mental Health Coordinator(s);
- Regional Psychologist;
- Manager, Clinical Services; and
- ad hoc members, as required.
8. The Institutional Head or District Director will ensure that:
- mental health services are in place and that the provision of mental health services is in accordance with professional standards of practice and applicable national guidelines;
- appropriately equipped facilities are available for the provision of confidential mental health services;
- the Interdisciplinary Mental Health Team or the Correctional Intervention Board coordinates the provision of mental health services. Should the Correctional Intervention Board be used, minimum membership will be the same as the Institutional Mental Health Team. Treatment Centres may choose individual client-centered interdisciplinary team meetings to meet this objective;
- the Interdisciplinary Mental Health Team or the Correctional Intervention Board meets at a minimum once a month; and
- mental health training is provided, as required.
9. Mental health professionals will:
- provide mental health services in accordance with professional standards of practice and applicable national guidelines;
- provide mental health consultation to managers and other staff on offender mental health issues; and
- make referrals to other health professionals, as required.
10. Consistent with professional standards, unlicensed staff may deliver mental health services under the supervision of licensed mental health professionals, who take professional responsibility for the services provided.
Interdisciplinary Mental Health Team or Correctional Intervention Board
11. The Interdisciplinary Mental Health Team or the Correctional Intervention Board, which are coordinating bodies to those offenders requiring mental health services, are responsible for:
- identifying needs and service requirements;
- prioritizing mental health services; and
- monitoring and documenting clinical progress.
12. To the extent possible and with the offender’s prior consent, mental health professionals providing services to Aboriginal offenders will consult with institutional Elders to obtain information about the social history of the offender that may impact on the delivery of mental health services.
Mental Health Services
13. Mental health services include:
- intake mental health screening as per national guidelines;
- comprehensive mental health assessments;
- treatment and other mental health interventions as per CSC policy, guidelines and professionally accepted standards; and
- acute, sub-acute and chronic mental health care in Treatment Centres.
ENQUIRIES
14. Strategic Policy Division
National Headquarters
Email: Gen-NHQPolicy-Politi@CSC-SCC.GC.CA
Commissioner,
Original signed by:
Don Head
ANNEX A - CROSS-REFERENCES
CROSS-REFERENCES
CD 700 – Correctional Interventions
CD 705 – Intake Assessment Process and Correctional Plan Framework
CD 705-1 – Preliminary Assessments and Post-Sentence Community Assessments
CD 705-3 – Immediate Needs Identification and Admission Interviews
CD 705-5 – Supplementary Intake Assessments
CD 709 – Administrative Segregation
CD 726 – Correctional Programs
CD 803 – Consent to Health Service Assessment, Treatment and Release of Information
CD 805 – Administration of Medication
CD 840 – Psychological Services
CD 843 – Management of Inmate Self-Injurious and Suicidal Behaviour
Clinical Discharge Planning and Community Integration Service Guidelines
Computerized Mental Health Intake Screening System (CoMHISS) – National Guidelines
Institutional Mental Health Service (Primary Care) Guidelines
Sharing Mental Health Information – Guidelines
DEFINITIONS
Contractor: a person providing services of a prescribed class to the Correctional Service of Canada under a contract.
Interdisciplinary Mental Health Team (IMHT): a team chaired by the Chief Psychologist/Psychiatrist, Clinical Manager or delegate, with team members that may include mental health staff, health care staff, Parole Officers, Correctional Managers, Elders, and ad hoc members as required. The IMHT discusses current clinical, operational and case management issues/concerns, short-term/long-term goals, and the roles and responsibilities of all staff intervening with the offender, in order to respond effectively, and provide advice and support to the offender.
Mental health care: care provided in response to disturbances of thought, mood, perception, orientation or memory that significantly impair judgment, behaviour, the capacity to recognize reality or the ability to meet the ordinary demands of life. This includes the provision of both acute and long-term mental health care services.
Mental health professional: CSC staff and contractors who offer services for the purposes of improving an offender’s mental health and are registered or licensed in Canada, preferably in the province/territory of practice. Individuals will operate within their scope of practice and competence. Examples include Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Physicians, Nurses, and Clinical Social Workers.