Mental Health Services
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Correctional facilities have been the country’s largest mental health providers for decades. The challenges presented by any size inmate population with mental health needs, ranging from serious mental illness to substance use disorder to unhealed trauma, can be daunting.
Facilities who are investing in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders can and should get recognition for the work they are doing to support incarcerated patients and their communities by applying for NCCHC Mental Health Accreditation.
Mental Health Accreditation is a performance excellence framework that goes beyond the general health services standards. The mental health standards help facilities enhance their mental health patient care systems.
Mental health accreditation:
• Provides opportunity for recognition within your community
• Improves staff morale
• May reduce risk of suicide and other adverse outcomes
• Lowers risk of lawsuits and expensive judgments
• Decreases security and disciplinary incidents
If your facility has:
• Dedicated mental health care staff (in-house or outsource) or
• Mental health and substance abuse treatment
Take the challenge and get the recognition you deserve. NCCHC surveyors with expertise in mental health services will visit your facility and assess your compliance with NCCHC standards for mental health programs. If they find areas of concern, they will work with you, in a collaborative effort, to bring your facility closer to accreditation and reduce opportunities for negative outcomes.
“Correctional facilities have become the country’s largest mental health providers. The best way to tackle this problem is head on, by ensuring we provide high quality, effective care that can help people turn their lives around.”
Sheriff John Wilcher, Chatham County (first facility accredited for mental health care)
Benefits of NCCHC Accreditation
- Validates with objective criteria the areas in which the health care facility is doing well and areas for improvement
- Promotes and documents an efficient, well-managed system of health care delivery with feedback from knowledgeable correctional health care professionals
- Protects the institution by minimizing the occurrence of adverse events, thus avoiding health-care-related lawsuits and grievances and often reducing liability premiums
- Educates and trains staff on NCCHC standards, with the benefit of introducing new efficiencies and standard practices
- Recognizes staff contributions and excellence, improves morale and aids recruiting
- Helps obtain community support and provides justification for budget requests
- Protects the health of the public, staff and inmates by assuring that those incarcerated and released receive adequate and appropriate health care