Support for Correctional Mental Health Professionals – National Commission on Correctional Health Care

Support for Correctional Mental Health Professionals

NCCHC is the leading authority on correctional health care and is dedicated to improving health care in jails, prisons, and juvenile detention centers.  NCCHC publishes correctional health care standards and provides facility accreditation. Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, therapists: everyone has a critical role to play. As a correctional mental health professional, you are essential to delivering care that meets both clinical best practices and constitutional mandates.  

Our Mission

NCCHC’s mission is to improve the quality and consistency of health care in correctional facilities. We do this through:

  • Development of nationally recognized correctional health care standards
  • Accreditation
  • Professional certification
  • Education
  • Consulting and technical assistance services

ncchc sTANDARDS

The Foundation of Correctional Health Care

NCCHC’s comprehensive correctional health care standards ensure evidence-based, constitutionally acceptable medical care. The five standards manuals include:

These standards shape facility policies, procedures, and workflows, helping to reduce legal risk and improve patient outcomes.

Start with the standards

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION

Demonstrate Your Commitment and Expertise

Correctional mental health, administrative, and medical professionals can earn the Certified Correctional Health Professional (CCHP) credential to demonstrate expertise and commitment.

Qualified mental health professionals with a graduate degree, after achieving the CCHP, can earn specialty certification as a correctional mental health professional (CCHP-MH).

All CCHPs can also qualify for advanced certification (CCHP-A). Specialty certification is also available for clinical providers (MD/DO, NP, PA), and nursing. 

Certification demonstrates leadership, reinforces the importance of correctional health as a specialty, and can elevate your career.

Start Your Certification Journey

ACCREDITATION

Why NCCHC Accreditation Matters

Facilities can voluntarily seek NCCHC accreditation, which involves an objective third-party review of facility processes, measuring compliance with NCCHC Standards. Accreditation is available for health services in jails, prisons, and juvenile facilities; correctional mental health programs; and opioid treatment programs in corrections.

Benefits of accreditation include:

  • Promoting safe, high-quality correctional health care
  • Reducing legal liability
  • Supporting operational improvements
  • Validating compliance with national benchmarks

A randomized study of 44 U.S. jails by Harvard researchers found that NCCHC-accredited facilities had lower mortality and reduced recidivism rates.

Improve the quality of health care

eDUCATION & RESOURCES

NCCHC offers CME credits for correctional mental health professionals through the National Association of Social Workers and the American Psychological Association. Credits are available for: 

  • Webinars throughout the year
  • National conferences on correctional health care and mental health care

View the calendar of upcoming events.

Publications:

Explore author opportunities and stay updated on the latest in correctional medicine. Visit the NCCHC Publications Library to learn more.

consulting/technical assistance

NCCHC Resources offers a variety of services and technical assistance for correctional health care systems throughout the country. Meeting mental health and substance use disorder challenges is a top concern for facilities across the country. NCCHC Resources is prepared to help.  

Services include:

  • Suicide prevention planning
  • Opioid treatment program development
  • Health system assessments
  • RFP and contract support
  • Facility monitoring
see how we can help you

cAREER cENTER

Your hub for career development in correctional health care, the NCCHC Foundation Career Center offers:

  • Nationwide job listings
  • Employer spotlights
  • Career resources and tools
  • Certified career coaching

Looking for more general career information? Check out our Careers in Correctional Health Care page, including a video on the benefits of a career in correctional mental health care.

Find or POst a job

NCCHC is your partner in training, credentialing, and quality improvement

  • Correctional mental health professionals are leaders in delivering care that meets ethical, legal, and medical standards
  • Correctional health is public health — what happens inside affects your community
  • Your work can prevent adverse outcomes and save lives

Not sure where to get started? Follow the links above or set up a time to talk.