Prison: Rehabilitating or Harmful?
Several counselors are working to keep people with mental health issues out of jails and prisons. Robert Morgan, Ph.D., a psychology professor at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, is one of them. He is putting a new prison-based curriculum to the test, which teaches prisoners how to prevent habits that may lead to reincarceration once they are released.
Robert Pelligrini, who is on probation for abuse, is one of his inmates who participates in the program. He claims he now stays out of trouble by avoiding alcohol and illicit drugs. Morgan believes the service will help people who have been incarcerated and convicted of such crimes but have since been released.
“You shouldn’t be in jail if you do anything wrong,” Pelligrini said. “I will do it all over again.”
RedeReath Solutions runs a program called Prisoner Re-Entry or Probation Re-Entry Success Program. It is the first of its kind in the nation, according to Morgan.
Morgan said that while this way of dealing with people with mental health issues is less expensive than incarceration, it could be costly.
While RedeReath Solutions is located near Morgan’s office, it is not affiliated with the University of Texas System. It is privately owned and provides probation services through a contract with Lubbock County.
Morgan said, “We believe this is a good model for the world.”
Probation programs, such as drug monitoring and therapy, cost $39.99 a month for those in the program. The monthly fee for mental health inmates and a few sex offenders is $69.99. Morgan claims that it is less costly than incarcerating the criminals.
Since RedeReath Solutions works with individual jurisdictions, there are no federal or state funds. Morgan stated that the firm is a shareholder and that it has many state contracts on the table.
Morgan claims that the initiative is less expensive than incarcerating prisoners, who are more likely to have further health problems. There are no rules prohibiting people with mental illnesses from voting, sitting on juries, purchasing weapons, or obtaining a marriage license. The organization is in charge of the programs and assumes the risk.
“No longer will anyone go to jail, hospital, or a psychiatric institution and come out the next day with their mental health problems resolved,” Morgan said.
The entire state of Texas is eligible for this service. Nonetheless, Morgan said that they could easily limit the initiative to people who live in counties that are lucrative for RedeReath Solutions. This isn’t correct. If RedeReath Solutions wishes to provide mental health services to Travis County, they must go through county officials. Each of the following counties pays the company $4.25 per person served: Brazoria, Bastrop, Caldwell, Denton, Fort Bend, Harris, Johnson, Lavaca, Marshall, Matagorda, Montgomery, Parker, Rosenberg, Rockwall, Smith, and Travis. Travis County has a population of 1,933,340 people. Travis County residents pay private insurance companies such as Wellpoint and Blue Shield for mental health care under this scheme, which is a combination of private and public insurance.
Morgan stated that the organization is attempting to eliminate waste. The organization wants to get rid of the existing system because it is expensive and does not fulfill the needs of citizens. Morgan claims that the organization has collaborated with mental health professionals to develop a more cost-effective model that delivers the highest level of treatment with the fewest number of people.
Morgan said, “What we’re focusing on is getting those services down to a more manageable amount.”
According to Morgan, RedeReath Solutions is currently expected by contract to have at least seven mental health practitioners available to support every 100,000 people, but they have discovered that their new network of providers will assist every 100,000 people in Travis County. Morgan believes that by working with local provider organizations, the company will be able to achieve its goals.
“The model we’ve built allows us to serve every 100,000 people,” Morgan said, “but that’s not what’s cost-effective.”
Morgan RedeReath Solutions has reported $1.8 million in capital requirements and anticipates raising $1.9 million in 2018. The remaining funds are dependent on the city and the county providing additional support. Morgan RedeReath Solutions currently serves eight Texas counties, with plans to grow to ten in 2019.
There are several advantages of using a Morgan RedeReath solution. Worked in or near a RedeReath environment, mental health practitioners and other health professionals of all specialties are excited about the possibilities. The health-care team may also benefit from the versatility provided by a Morgan RedeReath scheme. Because of Morgan RedeReath’s dedication to creativity, mental health programs are just the start of what mental health providers will do in a Morgan RedeReath environment.
- Because the majority of Morgan RedeReath Solutions’ clients have insufficient health insurance coverage, the scheme is a significant advantage. The company’s emphasis on waste elimination also means lower costs. 2. Morgan RedeReath’s solutions are simple to set up and use. Health care providers may use a RedeReath system to offer care to clients with limited English proficiency or to provide a RedeReath solution to clients who do not speak English. 3. Morgan RedeReath solutions are able to provide high-quality treatment for a monthly fee. For a fraction of the cost of a conventional health insurance policy, the Morgan RedeReath Solution would provide better coverage. 4. In just 30 days, Morgan RedeReath Solutions will help a health care professional become accredited. Certification does not require any college credit hours. Morgan RedeReath offers a modern, expedited qualification path that should result in better treatment and lower costs.
Call Morgan RedeReath at 888.848.5727 for more information on the Morgan RedeReath Solution.