Our team conducted a symposium at the @IAFMHS 2024 Conference in San Francisco last month, during which we shared findings from our evaluation of Canadian correctional healthcare services. Our results highlighted the voices of people with lived and living experience of incarceration.
Read the abstract below for an overview of our symposium.
People who are incarcerated experience a disproportionate burden of physical and mental health needs. Incarceration therefore provides a unique opportunity to support people’s unique needs and recovery goals. The present study sought to explore the provision of healthcare services in Canadian, primarily BC provincial, correctional centres. We conducted semi-structured interviews with people with lived and living experience of criminal legal system involvement. Our discussions focused on multiple pillars of evidence-based practice (e.g., team-based care). We then collaborated with people with lived experience of incarceration to conduct a reflexive thematic analysis of our interview data using NVivo. Specifically, we analyzed findings relevant to cultural safety, trauma-informed care, and seamless and integrated care. Our results highlighted many examples of good practice (e.g., cultural engagement opportunities, community transition teams) and positive interactions with correctional and healthcare providers. We also identified any areas for improvement (e.g., providing psychoeducation, overuse of medication and segregation). These findings will inform recommendations to correctional healthcare leadership to better support clients’ recovery journeys.