Navigating the Disability Determination Process from the Perspective of Incarcerated Adults with Serious Mental...

In the U.S. serious mental illness (SMI) is common in jails, which are often primary healthcare providers. Incarceration and healthcare are intertwined-lack of care access increases the risk of imprisonment which decreases care access. This case study explores a jail program which assists people with SMI with the disability determination process. Interviews with employees (n = 4) and clients (n = 25), and administrative data from jail databases on recidivism, benefit receipt, and demographics highlight the importance of reentry planning and access to resources in crime desistance, as well as how the program increased resource access, and provided feelings of hope and safety.