Good practice for mental health programming for women in prison: reframing the parameters.

Afflicting the majority of female offenders, mental illness is grossly over-represented among incarcerated women. It is a substantial contributor to the poor health status of this population. Of particular concern are the effects of trauma and substance use disorders, which are often a result of past victimization. The prison experience frequently compounds this disadvantage and psychological distress by failing to address the underlying trauma and the particular mental health needs of female prisoners. Evidence-based best-practice models are summarized in this paper. The conclusion reached advocates for integrated trauma-informed mental health service provision and programming which target the complexity of mental health concerns among women in prison.