Forensic Mental Health Assessment as a Critical Intercept for Enhancing Mental Health Care

Rates of psychiatric diagnosis, medical morbidity, and suicide risk are notably high among incarcerated individuals. However, engaging these individuals in community-based health care settings can be a challenge. Among justice-involved individuals who do access services, community-based health care settings may lack available resources to effectively conduct comprehensive assessments that inform evidence-based conceptualization. We propose forensic mental health assessment (FMHA) as a critical opportunity to enhance service delivery for this at-risk population. In particular, within the scope of their role, forensic mental health evaluators are able to conduct a comprehensive review of records across health (eg, inpatient and outpatient health care settings), social (eg, homeless shelter), and correctional (eg, jail or prison) settings. Moreover, FMHA often includes specialized batteries that are able to assess and differentially diagnose myriad clinical presentations that may have overlapping symptomatology. We present 2 case vignettes to illustrate the utility of FMHA for enhancing service delivery. Finally, we conclude by noting challenges to integrating FMHA into conceptualization and necessary next steps in research and programing.