Preparing mental health professionals to work with justice involved clients: interprofessional collaborative practice paves the way

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ABSTRACT Clinical social workers in county mental health systems often treat clients who are also involved with the criminal justice system. Effective treatment requires that social workers not only stabilize mental health problems but also address criminal behavior using evidence-based practices, a task they may be unprepared for. This paper presents a six-day training academy and curriculum for practitioners based on the Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (ICP) framework and competencies. Training was conducted by representatives of mental health and criminal justice fields. Evaluation ratings post training revealed significant improvements in all four ICP competency areas including interprofessional communication and treatment skills.