FSA – MENTAL HEALTH STEP DOWN Residential (2022)

Learn more, as this is part of The First Step Act

Program Description is taken from The First Step Act Approved Program Guide,  1/2022 Mental Health Step Down (Step Down) is a unit-based, residential program offering an intermediate level of care for inmates with serious mental illnesses who do not require inpatient treatment but lack the skills to function in the general population. The goal of Step Down is to provide evidence-based treatment that maximizes the ability to function while minimizing relapse and the need for inpatient hospitalization.

Step Down operates as a modified therapeutic community (MTC) using cognitive behavioral treatments, peer support, and skills training. Staff works closely with psychiatry to ensure participants receive appropriate medication and have the opportunity to build a positive relationship with the psychiatrist. Criminal thinking is addressed through the identification of criminal thinking errors and engagement in prosocial interactions with staff and peers. When inmates are preparing for release, intense coordination is done with social workers, Community Treatment Services (CTS), Residential Reentry Centers (RRC), Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA), and United States Probation Officers (USPOs) to facilitate continuity of care for reentry.

Time Frame
Hours This program is typically completed in 500 hours.
Needs Addressed Antisocial Peers, Cognitions, and Mental Health
Program Delivery To ensure program fidelity and proper credit, the Mental Health Step Down program must be delivered by Psychology Services staff.
Institution Locations USP Allenwood (H)
USP Atlanta (H)
FCC Butner (M)
FMC Fort Worth (L)
Key:
(L) = Low;
(M) = Medium;
(H) = High