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Provider Experiences with Prison Care and Aftercare for Women with Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: Treatment, Resource, and Systems Integration Challenges

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Abstract

Incarcerated women with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (COD) face complex psychosocial challenges at community reentry. This study used qualitative methods to evaluate the perspectives of 14 prison and aftercare providers about service delivery challenges and treatment needs of reentering women with COD. Providers viewed the needs of women prisoners with COD as distinct from those of women with substance use alone and from men with COD. Providers described optimal aftercare for women with COD as including contact with the same provider before and after release, access to services within 24–72 hours after release, assistance with managing multiple social service agencies, assistance with relationship issues, and long-term follow-up. Providers also described larger service system and societal issues, including systems integration and ways in which a lack of prison and community aftercare resources impacted quality of care and reentry outcomes. Practice and policy implications are provided.

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Notes

  1. The term “sugar daddy” refers to a man (usually older) who financially supports a younger woman in exchange for sex and companionship.

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Conflict of Interest

This research was supported by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (K23 DA021159, PI: Jennifer Johnson). Publication of this manuscript is subject to NIH public access requirements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, 345 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI, 02906, USA

    Jennifer E. Johnson PhD, Yael Chatav Schonbrun PhD, Marlanea E. Peabody BSPH, MPH, Ruth T. Shefner BA, Karen M. Fernandes BA & Caron Zlotnick PhD

  2. Butler Hospital, Providence, RI, 02906, USA

    Yael Chatav Schonbrun PhD & Caron Zlotnick PhD

  3. Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02906, USA

    Rochelle K. Rosen PhD

  4. Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, 02906, USA

    Rochelle K. Rosen PhD

  5. Department of Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Caron Zlotnick PhD

Authors
  1. Jennifer E. Johnson PhD
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  2. Yael Chatav Schonbrun PhD
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  3. Marlanea E. Peabody BSPH, MPH
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  4. Ruth T. Shefner BA
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  6. Rochelle K. Rosen PhD
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  7. Caron Zlotnick PhD
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Correspondence to Jennifer E. Johnson PhD.

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Johnson, J.E., Schonbrun, Y.C., Peabody, M.E. et al. Provider Experiences with Prison Care and Aftercare for Women with Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: Treatment, Resource, and Systems Integration Challenges. J Behav Health Serv Res 42, 417–436 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-014-9397-8

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