BSCC - Board of State and Community Corrections Mental Health and Substance Abuse Questions and Answers Flashcards

Which legal standard established that correctional facilities must provide mental health care meeting the 'deliberate indifference' threshold under the Eighth Amendment?

Answer: Estelle v. Gamble

Estelle v. Gamble (1976) established that deliberate indifference to serious medical needs, including mental health, constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

Which medication is FDA-approved as a monthly injectable formulation for treating opioid use disorder in justice-involved populations who are abstinent from opioids?

Answer: Extended-release naltrexone (Vivitrol)

Extended-release naltrexone (Vivitrol) is an opioid antagonist administered monthly by injection and is particularly suited for justice settings because it requires no daily dosing.

In a Sequential Intercept Model (SIM), at which intercept point does a jail diversion program most commonly operate?

Answer: Intercept 2 – Initial Detention/Initial Hearings

Jail diversion programs typically operate at Intercept 2, where individuals are screened at booking and may be redirected to treatment before formal charges.

A correctional counselor working with a client who has methamphetamine use disorder should expect which characteristic withdrawal symptom profile?

Answer: Intense craving, hypersomnia, dysphoria, and fatigue lasting days to weeks

Stimulant withdrawal (the 'crash') is characterized by prolonged fatigue, excessive sleep, depression, and intense drug craving rather than the physical symptoms seen in depressant withdrawal.

The 'Risk-Need-Responsivity' (RNR) model applied to mental health and substance abuse treatment in corrections states that treatment intensity should match:

Answer: The individual's level of risk to reoffend

The Risk principle of RNR holds that the dosage and intensity of treatment should be proportionate to the offender's assessed risk level to maximize effectiveness.

Under California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 5150, a peace officer may detain a person involuntarily for psychiatric evaluation for up to how many hours?

Answer: 72 hours

Section 5150 authorizes a 72-hour involuntary hold for evaluation and treatment when a person is deemed a danger to themselves, others, or gravely disabled.

Which principle of trauma-informed care recognizes that staff in correctional and treatment settings may develop secondary traumatic stress and must be supported?

Answer: Workforce Safety and Wellbeing

SAMHSA's trauma-informed framework includes attention to staff wellbeing, recognizing that secondary traumatic stress affects those who work with trauma survivors.