Improving correctional health care often begins with understanding what is working well, where gaps exist, and which changes will have the greatest impact on patient care and safety. NCCHC Resources recently partnered with a county correctional system to conduct an in-depth technical assessment of its medical and mental health services and develop a roadmap for […]
From Assessment to Action: Strengthening Jail Health Care Read More »
Every in-custody death is a tragedy. It also presents an opportunity to examine what happened, identify opportunities for improvement, and strengthen practices that can help prevent future deaths.
Beyond the Incident: Improving Correctional Health Care Through In-Custody Death Reviews Read More »
What does it take to create safer, more effective jails? NCCHC Resources Managing Director Fred Meyer, MA, CJM, CCHP, and Ashley Brinkman, PhD, LPC, CCHP, join AJA Executive Director Chris Daniels, MPA, CAE, to discuss interdisciplinary leadership, suicide prevention, and today’s most pressing correctional mental health challenges. Hear practical strategies for addressing staffing shortages, responding
Interdisciplinary Leadership: Reducing Risk & Suicide in Your Jail Read More »
As Mental Health Month nears its end, we should take a few moments to consider the challenges faced by our peers and coworkers who dedicate themselves to caring for others. Correctional health care professionals operate in one of the most demanding environments in health care. They deliver essential medical and psychiatric services to a population
Suicide Prevention Among Correctional Health Care Professionals Read More »
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year’s theme, “More Good Days, Together,” has stayed with me throughout my travels in 2026. NCCHC has attended more regional conferences this year to discuss our services and resources, and these conversations with professionals across the country continue to reinforce both the challenges in our field and
From Intake to Reentry: Rethinking Mental Health Care in Custody Read More »
By Richard Forbus, MBA-HCM, CCHP-A If you’re leading a jail today, you already know the reality. The population in our facilities is more medically and behaviorally complex than it was even five or ten years ago. We are seeing more individuals with serious mental illness, more substance use disorders and withdrawal, and more chronic disease
Technology in Jails: A Strategic Advantage for Custody Leaders Read More »
Correctional staff are the eyes and ears of day-to-day jail operations. They are often the first to notice subtle behavior changes, early signs of mental health decompensation, or the emergence of a medical or psychiatric crisis. In those first few moments, the staff response can determine the outcome. For decades, the default response to someone
When Crisis Hits: Why CIT Is Transforming Jail Response Read More »
This topic gets me fired up. I often hear people say, “Jail is not a place for the mentally ill.” That statement is 100% true—but it misses the real issue. The problem isn’t that people with mental illness are in jail. The problem is how they get there. Nothing becomes a priority in our systems
We Don’t Control Who Comes Through the Door—But We Own the Risk Read More »
Adverse events in correctional settings—suicide attempts, medical crises, delayed responses, preventable deaths—rarely stem from a single failure. More often, they arise from gaps between teams: unclear communication, mismatched priorities, or inconsistent practices. The encouraging reality is that every one of these risks can be reduced through intentional, structured collaboration between custody and health services. As
Stronger Together: Collaboration Reduces Adverse Events in Jails Read More »
The NCCHC Resources Board of Directors for 2026 is: Joseph Penn, MD, CCHP-MH, Chair and Treasurer James Martin, MPSA, CCHP, Secretary Jeffrey Alvarez, MD, CCHP-CP, CCHP-A Oscar Aviles, CJM, CCE, CCHP Aynsley Mull, JD Esmaeil Porsa, MD, MPH, CCHP-CP, CCHP-A Ralf Salke, BSN, RN, CCHP-A Aynsley Mull, JD, deputy chief legal officer with Centurion Health,
NCCHC Resources Announces Board of Directors for 2026 Read More »
