Health Services

Family member of an offender? Get more detailed offender health services information.

Providing Treatment for Offenders

Health care services are provided to offenders by on-site health care staff which includes medical, dental, behavioral health (including mental health care and chemical dependency treatment). The Department of Corrections (DOC) assures that health care providers have the necessary licenses or certifications to practice in Washington State.

Medical Treatment

Emphasis is placed on early identification of health concerns, care for acute and on-going health problems, and preventive care. Providers offer medically necessary and quality care in accordance with the Department’s Offender Health Plan. When it is medically necessary, Department health care staff can refer offenders to community specialists who see patients in their offices or come to the DOC institution. Specialty services may include cardiology, orthopedics, oncology, general surgery, oral surgery, and obstetrics and gynecology. Several institutions have on-site infirmaries which provide 24-hour observation and care by licensed health care staff. When an offender requires hospitalization, community hospitals are used.

Mental Health Treatment

The Department has several options for providing mental health care to those who require treatment. All major institutions can provide temporary or short-term in-patient psychiatric care for crisis management and stabilization. Professional mental health staff, including psychologists and psychiatrists, is available to meet with offenders and conduct psychological and psychiatric evaluations. Staff may also provide individual and group therapy.

Dental Treatment

Dental services include, when necessary, screening, restorative care such as fillings, extractions, treatment of infections. No cosmetic services are provided.

Chemical Dependency Treatment

The Chemical Dependency (CD) program is certified by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA). The goal is to promote strategies that support healthy lifestyles by preventing the misuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, and support recovery from the disease of chemical dependency. The Department of Corrections provides Chemical Dependency (CD) Treatment within available resources to those offenders who are diagnosed as chemically dependent and meet admission criteria. At select sites, specialized, integrated treatment is also available for offenders who are addicted and have been diagnosed as seriously mentally ill (co-occurring disorder or COD).

The Department’s Chemical Dependency Treatment Continuum of Care includes:

Detoxification.
Screening and Diagnostic Assessment.
Residential and Intensive Outpatient Treatment.
Outpatient Aftercare Treatment.
Community Based Referral Services.

How do you determine that an offender is chemically dependent?

Each offender entering the department is given a CD screening consisting of a validated self-report questionnaire. Offenders screened as having a probability of an addiction and who are within two years of release from total confinement or under community supervision may be referred for an assessment.

In accordance with Department policy, offenders are assessed and admitted to treatment in the following order of priority:

Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative (DOSA).
Risk Management Level A and Indeterminate Sentence Review Board (ISRB).
Risk Management Level B.
Risk Management Level C.
Risk Management Level D.

Assessment includes a structured interview, diagnosis, and treatment recommendations. Admission includes drug testing and the development of an initial individualized treatment plan.

What kind of help is provided?

Chemical Dependency Treatment consists of various levels differing in duration of stay and level of intensity. Treatment is available at various locations based on staffing and funding. Offenders accepted into treatment are placed in one or more of the following treatment levels or supplemental programs:

Long Term Treatment also known as Therapeutic Community - The highest level of treatment that lasts from 6-12 months in a structured, residential setting.
Intensive Outpatient Program - Provides 8-12 weeks of intensive treatment. Available in total confinement as well as in the community and work release settings.
Outpatient - Provides a minimum of 3 months of transitional care at designated community-based sites.
Recovery House - Provides structured aftercare services in designated work release sites for those who have completed long-term treatment in total confinement.

All treatment provided by the Department is certified by the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse and includes cognitive and behavioral restructuring, alcohol and drug education, individual and group counseling, relapse prevention, self-help support skill, and skill building.

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