7/31/2010 10:32:07 AM
National Institute of Mental Health
National Institutes of Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
and the University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston
Mental Illness, Incarceration, and Community Re-entry:
Telepsychiatry and Continuity of Mental Health Care
October 29 – 31, 2008
Austin, Texas
The cost of providing health care is escalating and the number of those incarcerated who have special needs and cycle through the criminal justice system is common. Some studies indicate that more than half of all prison and jail inmates have a mental health problem (i.e. recent history or symptoms of mental health problems in past 12 months) and that many inmates who re-enter the community are parents. To address these issues and issues related to community re-entry and continuity of mental healthcare, national leaders in the field of telepsychiatry, mental and behavioral healthcare were brought together to discuss ways in which access to specialized care can be established and maintained through telepsychiatry for persons coping with mental and behavioral health issues who are transitioning from incarceration to the community.
Presentations from the meeting may be found here: