Resources and services addressing mental health are an important part of the reentry process for people leaving prison. The reentry population faces barriers to healthcare access and often experiences homelessness, unemployment, and a lack of social and family support. Steps integral to a successful reentry include building a support network, communication between mental health and correctional services, and equitable technology access.
Support system
Having connections to count on during reentry is vital to a person’s mental well-being. These connections can come in the form of correctional support like a parole officer and judge, or a network of friends and family. A weekly meeting with a parole officer or mental health counselor may be their only interaction with a person who’s invested in their recovery.
Without a community of supportive relationships, it’s easy to lose accountability and feel lost. The right support can help ensure lasting outcomes.
Communication between mental health and correctional services
A collaborative partnership between courts and social service agencies can be critical when developing a rehabilitative program. When there are barriers to information sharing between these agencies, it can disrupt the continuity of care and threaten the well-being of those formerly incarcerated.
According to Marcus Hodges, associate director of the Office of Community Supervision & Intervention Services (OCSIS), he believes the corrections community needs to consistently seek and receive information from the community at large to bridge the gap between corrections and community. By addressing mental health and how it may lead to criminal activity, the likelihood of offenders who struggle with behavioral health issues committing new crimes can be reduced.
Corrisoft technology creates a support system and communication network
By using smartphones and smartphone-based apps in recovery programs, a two-way line of communication is opened. Case managers using court-sponsored technology like Corrisoft’s AIR® Mobile and MaxxLMS® can pre-load mental health information to a participant’s phone, creating a database of trustworthy educational materials.
The ability for participants to reach out to their sponsor, case manager, or support professional in a time of need through AIR®’s smartphone-based supervision platform significantly increases successful program completion. The AIR® product suite is also valuable in facilitating collaboration between courts and mental health professionals. Corrisoft technologies allow monitoring agencies to partner in creating a care network for participants.
Mental wellness is a key component of community reintegration, and Corrisoft provides the tools and resources necessary to complete this. Want to strengthen your community one successful recovery at a time? Connect with Corrisoft today.