Abstract
The major current issues facing state and local forensic mental health programs are presented in this paper. Debates over forensic patients’ rights and the insanity defense are discussed, together with many administrative problems such as the pros and cons of correctional versus mental health system program control and payment incentives for treatment. The authors cite the differing goals of correctional and mental health systems, i.e., security and treatment, as reasons for difficulties in developing needed collaboration. Guidelines are suggested to address such important issues as mixing civil with criminal patients, developing units for special populations, defining patients who can respond to treatment, and follow-up after discharge.
Footnotes
-
At the time that this paper was written, Dr. Nelson was Deputy Secretary and Commissioner of Mental Health, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He is presently Chief of Mental Health Programs, Indian Health Service. Dr. Berger is Director of Forensic Services, Department of Public Welfare, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Address reprint requests to Dr. Berger, Office of Mental Health, P.O. Box 2675, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
-
Updated from a presentation to the Annual meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, Nassau, Bahamas, October 1984. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Indian Health Service, or the U.S. Public Health Service.
- Copyright © 1988, The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
