Corrections Community

We have recently had 3 suicide attempts from inmate's who are serving life without parole. While I don't have evidence that necessarily links these attempts to major depression or the existensial issues of coping with their plight, I have been tasked (as the Clinical Director of Behavioral Health) by our DOC Director to develop a program for Lifer's.  Does anyone have such programs in their system or know of any resources?  I hate re-inventing wheels!

Frederic:

 

Before you can implement a program you need to know what the diagnosis is of these individuals. Many things can contribute and cause suicidal ideation and attempts but you cannot treat it without an evaluation of the individual. Then you will know their needs. Then you can design a program.

I think that there is an issue of having a life worth living. we struggle at our facility to assist lifers to find a nitch so to speak in order to acchieve the life worth living thing. one of the more forward thinking Lts at our prison chose to put a number of lifers on the same pod. it is good real estate as the accomodations are double celled rather than the 8 man rooms on other pods. older (in terms of time incarcerated) are encouraged to mentor or adopt newer lifers. some lifers teach classes in the education department. others have found a place being law library clerks or other favored jobs. The nursing department trained some inmates to be ?health aides in the infirmary. I remember reading in a correctional book on best programs about inmates who were trained to spend time 1:1 with suicidal inmates. this accomplished two things - better monitoring of suicidal people and also for those who were volunteering - a valued task. one of our units that has a number of rough and tough guys is involved with having about 5-6 dogs at a time that are being trained as service dogs. there are primary and secondary trainers. the dogs go with the trainer every where they go within the facility so as to expose them to a wide variety of people. the other inmates enjoy seeing them. at one point all of the victim impact, anger management, and several other programs were taught by inmates (most are lifers) and supervised by clinical staff - the thought being that inmate to inmate would sink in more. the side effect was pride by the teachers in what they were doing (homework was always corrected by staff.) there are inmates assigned to care for various flower gardens within the facility. I think any effort to give people things to do that are value help. At one point there was a lifer's group that was fairly active in initiating things like ball leagues etc. Unfortunately an accusation was made that there was a plot to take CO's hostage and a facility take over. it apparently was unfounded but the group was never permitted to re-form. So perhaps this will give you some things to ponder and apply.