A Versatile Prison Psychiatric Pharmacy Program.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatric Pharmacy
• Correctional Health Care
• Mental Health Services

Background:

• Pre-pandemic, 20% of US adults had mental illness annually; COVID-19 disrupted global mental health services.
• Correctional facilities have double the prevalence of mental illness compared to the community.
• Pharmacist involvement in chronic care psychiatry shows potential benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish an inpatient psychiatric pharmacy clinic at Federal Correctional Center Butner (FCC Butner).
• To address gaps in mental health services for over 240 psychiatrically ill inmate patients.
• To provide patient-centric, safe, and up-to-date psychiatric care within a correctional setting.

Main Methods:

• An inpatient psychiatric pharmacist practiced independently under a collaborative practice agreement.
• Conducted mental health clinical visits for a portion of the inmate population.
• Provided ancillary services: movement disorder testing, lab monitoring for narrow therapeutic index medications, and antipsychotic psychoeducation meetings.

Main Results:

• 74% of patients in the specialty program showed stable or improved symptoms of depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.
• Adverse effects, including psychiatric-related movement disorders, were managed more effectively.
• 43% of patients who previously declined psychiatric medication consented to treatment after attending psychoeducation meetings.

Conclusions:

• The inpatient psychiatric pharmacy program at FCC Butner significantly enhanced the facility's health care.
• The described services are applicable to other correctional environments with medical services.
• This model demonstrates the value of specialized psychiatric pharmacy services in correctional settings.