None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The proposed research project will focus intervening in the prison-to-community transition period to improve post-release mental health and other outcomes. Our research will specifically test whether an early and individualised critical-time intervention for prisoners released into the community is feasible locally and whether it can, firstly, increase contact with community mental health services and, secondly, whether there is any consequent benefit for mental health status, functioning or reoffending. It will utilise a randomised controlled trial (RCT) design, with longitudinal multi-source follow-up to assess the feasibility and efficacy of a novel ‘critical-time’ intervention. The intervention is to be implemented during the prison-to-community transition period. As part of the intervention, the research team will identify prisoners entering custody who have severe mental illness, have committed relatively minor offences, and are likely to benefit from ongoing community mental health team input on release. The research team will identify the appropriate CMHT for the participant early in their custodial episode and make contact with the key worker. In collaboration with custodial mental health clinicians involved in treating the prisoner, we will develop an individualised care plan for each participant which will be forwarded to the Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) as part of the project. We will follow-up with the key worker and the participant to encourage ongoing community mental health engagement following the participant’s release from custody.
Interventions
The proposed low-intensity ‘critical-time’ intervention (the critical time being the transition period before and after release from prison) will involve the following:
1. The research worker (trained and experienced mental health clinician) will identify the community mental health key worker (community mental health clinician assigned as the lead or coordinating clinician for the individual) and make early contact by phone to inform the key worker about the participants involvement in the tri
The proposed low-intensity ‘critical-time’ intervention (the critical time being the transition period before and after release from prison) will involve the following: 1. The research worker (trained and experienced mental health clinician) will identify the community mental health key worker (community mental health clinician assigned as the lead or coordinating clinician for the individual) and make early contact by phone to inform the key worker about the participants involvement in the trial 2. Development of an individualized care plan for post-release mental health care: The researchers (trained and experienced mental health clinicians) will develop an individualized care plan informed by the results of prison screening that is routinely undertaken on entry to prison and on any subsequent mental health assessment/treatment in prison (by the existing mental health services in custody). The research workers will provide the individualised care plan (in the form of a completed proforma document covering the results of mental health screening and assessment undertaken in prison, mental health diagnoses made in prison, treatment provided in prison, clinical recommendations for post-release care) and provide it to the participant's community mental health team key worker following release from custody. 3. Post-release contact: The research worker will contact the key worker from the identified community mental health team by phone within two weeks of the participant's release from prison to determine if the participant has been in contact with the mental health service as planned; if offender has not made contact the researcher worker will then phone the participant to encourage contact, including by informing/reminding the participant of the contact details for the key worker Fidelity to the intervention will be assessed by audit of the individualised care plans developed by researchers and by audit of the spreadsheet to be used by researchers to document the nature and timing of all contacts made with the participant, key worker and others for each participant. The assessment will be undertaken twice monthly during the trial.
Sponsors
Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
Male
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
New prison entrants at Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre (MRRC) who completed Reception Screening Assessment in the last 24-48 hours. Possess physical and mental capacity to provide written informed consent in English language. Referred to custodial mental health team by reception screening nursing staff Charged with non-indictable offence (if on remand) or with sentence less than 6 months remaining (including parole period)
Exclusion criteria
At risk of aggression during interview. Charged with strictly indictable offences. Non-parole period greater than 6 months or likely to remain in custody longer than 6 months. Lacking capacity to consent
Outcome results
None listed