A mixed methods evaluation of veteran-specific rehabilitative programming in a correctional setting

Incarcerated veterans are a high-need population with elevated rates of mental and behavioral health conditions. Veteran-specific programming leverages shared culture, identity, and peer support to improve the milieu and outcomes, yet evaluations within correctional settings remain limited. This mixed methods evaluation examined the mental and behavioral health impact of veteran-focused programming at a California state prison. Using a quasi-experimental design, veterans participating in specialized programming within a proposed veteran-only living facility (the Veterans Hub) at the Correctional Training Facility were compared with veterans receiving programming at San Quentin State Prison. Participants completed self-report measures of trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder, moral injury, depression, suicidal ideation, anger, quality of life, and resilience across an 8-month period. Linear mixed-effects models tested site differences in symptom change over time. Semistructured interviews were conducted with a subsample of Correctional Training Facility participants at Time 1 and follow-up to explore invariant attitudes about programming and were analyzed using applied thematic analysis. Compared with veterans at San Quentin, veterans at Correctional Training Facility reported modest reductions in posttraumatic stress disorder, moral injury, and anger symptoms. Qualitative findings revealed an appreciation for the reparative aspects of programming that leverages shared identity, trust, and mutual accountability and frustration with leadership instability and unfulfilled program expectations. Veteran-focused programming was associated with small improvements in trauma-related outcomes despite unstable implementation. Findings support the potential of veteran-specific rehabilitative models and underscore the importance of stable, well-integrated service delivery within correctional settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).