Roughly two in five people who are incarcerated have a history of mental illness. That’s twice the prevalence of mental illness in the general population. With such a high percentage of incarcerated individuals struggling with mental health concerns, American prisons and jails have become de facto mental health care providers. Yet, around 60% of individuals with a mental illness do not receive treatment while incarcerated.
This gap in support is largely due to:
Inadequate human and financial resources to meet mental health needs in carceral settings
Security restrictions, especially in restrictive or segregated housing units, that prevent traditional in-person services
High caseloads make it challenging for clinical staff to reach everyone consistently
Mental illness is dramatically overrepresented among incarcerated individuals compared to the general population. Unaddressed mental health struggles can have a significant impact on the daily lives of incarcerated individuals, their support systems and corrections staff.
Some of the most common mental health needs among incarcerated individuals include:
Anxiety — 22% of the total state prison population in the U.S. (but 47% of incarcerated females) have been diagnosed with anxiety
Depression — 27% of the total state prison population in the U.S. (but 49% of incarcerated females) have been diagnosed with anxiety
Post traumatic stress disorder — Research shows that over 90% of adults in prison have experienced traumatic events. Roughly 14% of the total state prison population in the U.S. (but 34% of incarcerated females) have been diagnosed with PTSD.
Substance use disorders — While 8% of the U.S. population is experiencing addiction, nearly half of U.S. inmates have been diagnosed with a substance use disorder. Substance use is often co-occurring with other mental health conditions.
Each of these mental health conditions can make it more difficult for individuals to manage emotions and relationships. Increasing access to education, mental health interventions and substance use treatment can greatly benefit incarcerated adults, and in turn, those who work with them.
While in-person sessions with a therapist or counselor are widely considered the gold standard of care, this level of support is often not feasible on a large scale in prisons and jails. Even when therapists are available, consistent and accessible opportunities to learn and express one's thoughts and feelings between sessions are critical to building skills and developing new thinking and behavioral patterns.
Atlas is designed to address this gap.
Through self-paced curricula and interactive learning tools, Atlas delivers cognitive-behavioral therapy –based content directly to participants, regardless of facility limitations or staffing availability.
This digital platform includes:
Interactive Journaling® is grounded in cognitive-behavioral principles
Instructional videos that break down practical skills
Podcasts that reinforce learning through reflection and storytelling
A skill practice library that includes a range of mindfulness skills
Participants can engage with topics such as:
Understanding substance use and recovery
Relationship building and communication styles
The cognitive behavioral chain and self-talk awareness
Mindfulness and emotional regulation practices
Prosocial skill development
Career skill development
Making and maintaining positive change
The Utah Department of Corrections used Atlas to deliver digital substance use treatment in restrictive housing. UDC’s goal was to utilize Atlas to deliver structured, evidence-based, risk-need-responsive programming to individuals who have historically had limited access to treatment. After 12 months of implementation, these were some of the results:
81% reported that Atlas helped them work toward their treatment goals
77% of participants reported that they understood themselves better
In similar settings to those in the UDC pilot, research has demonstrated that:
In a self-directed jail setting, participants had 15% lower recidivism rates for the experimental group.
In a therapeutic diversion unit, there were improvements in cognitive restructuring and a decrease in DSM-5 symptom measures of depression, anxiety, anger, and others
In a study including 195 participants in the RDAP program, results indicated that participants were:
2x less likely to engage in criminal activity
4x less likely to relapse into substance use
10x more likely to secure employment and stable housing
3x less likely to have their supervision revoked
Currently, 3 out of 5 incarcerated individuals with a mental illness do not receive adequate treatment or support. Corrections facilities and staff face very real barriers to addressing this disparity. Tools like Atlas can help bridge the mental health support gap and provide meaningful aid and personal-growth opportunities to those who need it the most. When support becomes accessible, transformation becomes achievable, and safer facilities and stronger communities follow. Investing in inclusive mental health solutions can help us move toward a system where no one is left behind.
Evidence-based, behavioral health Interactive Journaling® curricula are available digitally on Atlas. Atlas can save staff time while supporting fidelity to evidence-based practices.
Ready to see what Atlas can do for your program? Visit our website to schedule a personalized demo today. Learn more about Atlas →
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