Coping Skills Group

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

The Coping Skills Group is a newly created program by the Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services and the Sheriff’s Department to address and serve the mental health needs of our inmates. Incarcerated adults are an underserved population with a variety of needs. The Henrico Area Mental Health team in the jail identified the need for additional services for inmates housed at Henrico Jail West. While the team is typically tasked with crisis intervention, assessments, and triage of inmates; it was clear that the need existed to have additional therapeutic interventions available to the inmates. The group is voluntary and inmates do not receive any incentives for participation. The goal of this group intervention is to provide additional resources and treatment to inmates to increase their ability to cope with stressors in their lives. Inmates complete a pre-test during their first group and a post-test at the end of the group in order to determine effectiveness.