Supporting People With Serious Mental Illness After Prison Release: The FIT Wellness Model

What is it about?

Poor continuity of care following prison release, particularly for people with serious mental illness (SMI), can lead to excess morbidity and mortality and high costs. We describe a pilot clinic in North Carolina serving people with SMI who are releasing from state prison. Key components of this model include a pre-release in-reach visit, co-located and integrated psychiatric and primary care, and the support of community health workers. Collaboration with prison staff and addressing social determinants of health are essential for program engagement.

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