4 Hours / 4 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on the Assessment and Treatment of Clinical Care Needs in Correctional Mental Health is presented by Virginia Barber Rioja, PhD.

This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards the Correctional Mental Health Certificate and share your new digital credentials.

The U.S. incarcerates a disproportionate number of Black, Indigenous, and Hispanic individuals, and those with behavioral health needs, including substance use, mental health, and trauma-related disorders. Jails and prisons have a constitutional duty to provide healthcare to incarcerated individuals. However, inadequate mental health care is common in correctional institutions around the country. Poor mental health care contributes to negative outcomes in jails and prisons. 

Suicide is the leading cause of death in jails around the country, and drug overdoses have significantly increased in correctional institutions. It is no surprise that many jails and prisons in the country are under some sort of civil litigation. Adequate mental health interventions are essential to prevent suicide and violence, mitigate stress, and overall increase the chances of rehabilitation and recovery. This program provides an overview of best practices in core areas of mental health practice, including booking, screening, and assessment; treatment interventions/levels of care; suicide prevention; death/sentinel event reviews; overdose prevention; and assessment of people in restrictive housing.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe core areas of correctional mental health clinical practice
  • 2 Describe best practices in the mental health assessment and treatment of incarcerated individuals
  • 3 Describe the assessment and treatment interventions and levels of care
  • 4 Describe the assessment of people in restrictive housing

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for individuals interested in or currently working within correctional settings, particularly those specializing in forensic or correctional mental health, social work, counseling, or related behavioral health fields. It is relevant for those focused on assessment, intervention, and prevention strategies for justice-involved populations and addresses knowledge gaps in evidence-based models such as the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model, making it valuable for both generalist and specialist treatment providers.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:

    • Mental health professionals (psychologists, counselors, social workers)
    • Students in corrections, forensic psychology, or behavioral health programs
    • Correctional staff (officers, case managers)
    • Clinicians and treatment providers working with justice-involved populations

  • Experience Level

    This training is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at various stages of experience working with incarcerated populations.

    • Beginner: Participants new to correctional mental health will gain foundational knowledge of core clinical practices, assessment, and intervention strategies for incarcerated individuals.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in correctional or community mental health will deepen their understanding of best practices, suicide and overdose prevention, and the assessment of individuals in restrictive housing.

  • Practice Setting

    Practice is situated in secure correctional environments and related justice settings serving individuals with complex behavioral health needs under constitutionally mandated standards of care. Work emphasizes screening and assessment, tiered treatment, and evidence-based risk management, including suicide and overdose prevention, within multidisciplinary, high-acuity, and legally scrutinized contexts.

    Examples of Practice Settings:

    • Jail intake and booking areas
    • Facility-based mental health clinics (outpatient/inpatient)
    • Suicide watch and crisis stabilization units
    • Restrictive housing/segregation units
    • Medication-assisted treatment and overdose prevention programs
    • Reentry coordination and transitional services linked to corrections
Presented By

Virginia Barber-Rioja, PhD

Virginia Barber Rioja obtained her Ph.D. in clinical forensic psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York. For 7 years, she worked in the NYC jail system holding the positions of Co-Chief and Clinical Director of Mental Health, and Assistant Chief of Forensic Services for Correctional Health Services/NYC Health + Hospitals, which provides mental health treatment to the NYC jails and forensic assessment services to the NYC courts. She is also an adjunct assistant professor in the Psychology Department of New York University and the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology of Teachers College, Columbia University. She has over 15 years of experience working in correctional and forensic contexts, including jails, forensic hospitals and alternative to incarceration and reentry programs. She also worked as a consultant for the juvenile correctional facilities in Puerto Rico. Currently, Dr. Barber Rioja consults for the Center for Justice Innovation as a Senior Clinical Policy Advisor and maintains an independent forensic practice involving consulting, training and forensic assessment in immigration, state, and federal court cases. She is an elected Member-At-Large of the American Psychology Law Society (APLS), a board member of the Asociación Iberoamericana de Justicia Terapéutica (Iberoamerican Association of Therapeutic Jurisprudence) and a former elected member of the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Legal Issues (COLI).



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Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Booking, Screening, and Assessment
    Learn effective strategies for conducting initial evaluations to identify mental health needs and risk factors at the point of entry into the correctional system.

  • Treatment Interventions/Levels of Care
    Explore best practices for providing appropriate and effective mental health treatment and support, including varying levels of care tailored to individual needs.

  • Suicide Prevention
    Understand and implement strategies to prevent suicide, which is the leading cause of death in jails, through enhanced risk assessment, intervention techniques, and staff training.

  • Death/Sentinel Event Reviews
    Gain insights into conducting thorough reviews of deaths and critical incidents to identify systemic issues and implement corrective actions.

  • Overdose Prevention
    Address the rising issue of drug overdoses in correctional settings by learning prevention strategies, intervention techniques, and response protocols.

  • Assessment of People in Restrictive Housing
    Examine approaches for assessing and supporting individuals in restrictive housing to mitigate negative mental health impacts and improve outcomes.

Earning a Certificate

This is a badge-earning program, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like LinkedIn.
View Certificates

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).

Sponsorship Approval Statements

Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Palo Alto University maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073.