Summary: | This guideline has been developed to advise on identification and management of mental health problems and integration of care for adults in contact with the criminal justice system. The guideline recommendations have been developed after careful consideration of the best available evidence by a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals, criminal justice system professionals, people with mental health problems who have been in contact with the criminal justice system, their carers and guideline methodologists. It is intended that the guideline will be useful to clinicians and service commissioners in the identification and management of mental health problems and integration of care for adults in contact with the criminal justice system (see Appendix A for more details on the scope of the guideline). Although the evidence base is rapidly expanding, there are a number of significant gaps. The guideline makes a number of research recommendations specifically to address gaps in the existing evidence base. In the meantime, this guideline aims to assist clinicians and people with mental health problems in contact with the criminal justice system and their carers, by identifying the merits of particular identification treatment and management approaches where the evidence from research and clinical experience exists
|