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Instructor/Advisor

Sara McPhee Lafkas, Ed.D., LICSW

Keywords

correctional facilities, mental health, interventions

Abstract

Incarcerated individuals represent one of the most vulnerable populations. People in prison often grapple with mental health issues, social factors, and other challenges. Without proper mental health treatment and resources, incarcerated individuals may struggle throughout their sentence and during their reintegration into society. To support this growing population, prisons must offer mental health services for their residents (Solbakken & R. Wynn, 2023; Cunha et al., 2023). The current systematic literature review analyzed twenty empirical articles to examine the mental health services available within the prison system, as well as the accessibility and barriers encountered. The lack of services is frequently attributed to stigma, staff shortages, and insufficient resources (Cunha et al., 2023; Hoke, 2015). The results provide recommendations on how to improve barriers and access to mental health care for incarcerated individuals.

Access and Barriers to Mental Health Care in Correctional Facilities

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