Statewide mental health training for probation officers: improving knowledge and decreasing stigma
Abstract Background The large and growing number of probationers with mental illnesses pose significant challenges to the probationer officers who supervise them. Stigma towards mental illnesses among probation officers is largely unstudied and the effectiveness of training initiatives designed to e...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2017-11-01
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| Series: | Health & Justice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40352-017-0057-y |
| _version_ | 1819035216573890560 |
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| author | Nikhil Tomar Marilyn A. Ghezzi Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein Amy Blank Wilson Tonya B. Van Deinse Stacey Burgin Gary S. Cuddeback |
| author_facet | Nikhil Tomar Marilyn A. Ghezzi Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein Amy Blank Wilson Tonya B. Van Deinse Stacey Burgin Gary S. Cuddeback |
| author_sort | Nikhil Tomar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The large and growing number of probationers with mental illnesses pose significant challenges to the probationer officers who supervise them. Stigma towards mental illnesses among probation officers is largely unstudied and the effectiveness of training initiatives designed to educate probation officers about mental illness is unknown. To address these gaps in the literature, we report findings from a statewide mental health training initiative designed to improve probation officers’ knowledge of mental illnesses. A single-group pretest posttest design was used and data about stigma towards mental illnesses and knowledge of mental illnesses were collected from 316 probation officers. Data were collected prior to and shortly after officers viewed a series of educational training modules about mental illnesses. Results Officers’ knowledge of mental illnesses increased and officers demonstrated lower levels of stigma towards persons with mental illnesses as evidenced by scores on a standardized scale. Conclusion Mental health education can help decrease stigma and increase knowledge of mental illnesses among probation officers. More research is needed to assess the impact of these trainings on probationers’ mental health and criminal justice outcomes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T07:46:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-61b5c2a9ede0463389fbda87f33e4956 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2194-7899 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T07:46:06Z |
| publishDate | 2017-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health & Justice |
| spelling | doaj.art-61b5c2a9ede0463389fbda87f33e49562022-12-21T19:11:11ZengBMCHealth & Justice2194-78992017-11-01511510.1186/s40352-017-0057-yStatewide mental health training for probation officers: improving knowledge and decreasing stigmaNikhil Tomar0Marilyn A. Ghezzi1Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein2Amy Blank Wilson3Tonya B. Van Deinse4Stacey Burgin5Gary S. Cuddeback6Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillSchool of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillSchool of Medicine, Department of Social Medicine and Center for Health Equity Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillSchool of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillSchool of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillSchool of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillSchool of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillAbstract Background The large and growing number of probationers with mental illnesses pose significant challenges to the probationer officers who supervise them. Stigma towards mental illnesses among probation officers is largely unstudied and the effectiveness of training initiatives designed to educate probation officers about mental illness is unknown. To address these gaps in the literature, we report findings from a statewide mental health training initiative designed to improve probation officers’ knowledge of mental illnesses. A single-group pretest posttest design was used and data about stigma towards mental illnesses and knowledge of mental illnesses were collected from 316 probation officers. Data were collected prior to and shortly after officers viewed a series of educational training modules about mental illnesses. Results Officers’ knowledge of mental illnesses increased and officers demonstrated lower levels of stigma towards persons with mental illnesses as evidenced by scores on a standardized scale. Conclusion Mental health education can help decrease stigma and increase knowledge of mental illnesses among probation officers. More research is needed to assess the impact of these trainings on probationers’ mental health and criminal justice outcomes.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40352-017-0057-yStigmaMental health knowledgeProbation officersSurvey |
| spellingShingle | Nikhil Tomar Marilyn A. Ghezzi Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein Amy Blank Wilson Tonya B. Van Deinse Stacey Burgin Gary S. Cuddeback Statewide mental health training for probation officers: improving knowledge and decreasing stigma Health & Justice Stigma Mental health knowledge Probation officers Survey |
| title | Statewide mental health training for probation officers: improving knowledge and decreasing stigma |
| title_full | Statewide mental health training for probation officers: improving knowledge and decreasing stigma |
| title_fullStr | Statewide mental health training for probation officers: improving knowledge and decreasing stigma |
| title_full_unstemmed | Statewide mental health training for probation officers: improving knowledge and decreasing stigma |
| title_short | Statewide mental health training for probation officers: improving knowledge and decreasing stigma |
| title_sort | statewide mental health training for probation officers improving knowledge and decreasing stigma |
| topic | Stigma Mental health knowledge Probation officers Survey |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40352-017-0057-y |
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