2 Hours / 2 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Restrictive Housing and the Management of Disruptive Behaviors is presented by Ashley Batastini, PhD.

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

The use of restrictive housing, or segregation, to contain high-risk and disruptive behavior in correctional institutions has become an overused and controversial practice. This program discusses the historical origins of restrictive housing, its intended functions, and unintended consequences from an empirical and ethical standpoint. We take a critical look at the scientific and legal debates surrounding the psychological harms associated with restrictive housing placements, including for those with pre-existing mental health issues. 

The program closes with an overview of reform trends that aim to reduce the frequency and duration of restrictive housing, with an emphasis on alternative approaches to behavior management that more appropriately and humanely balance rehabilitation and safety goals. Evidence on program efficacy and limitations to implementation is reviewed. This program is geared toward mental health and other allied professionals at all levels of training who work in carceral settings or with clients involved in the criminal justice system.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the historical origins and intended uses of various forms of restrictive housing for managing disruptive behaviors in institutional settings
  • 2 Describe the ethical and psychological implications of restrictive housing, particularly in relation to individuals with mental health issues
  • 3 Describe current policy reforms and alternative therapeutic approaches for managing disruptive behaviors that rely less on behavioral containment

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health professionals who work with individuals involved in the criminal justice system, particularly within correctional settings. It is especially relevant for those in psychology, social work, counseling, or related fields who address behavioral management, mental health needs, and rehabilitation of justice-involved individuals. The training covers the history, impact, and reform of restrictive housing, providing essential knowledge for those supporting clients affected by carceral environments.


    Examples of Relevant Professionals:
    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Psychologists
    • Social Workers
    • Counselors
    • Forensic Mental Health Clinicians
    • Correctional Behavioral Health Specialists
    • Reentry Program Case Managers
    • Substance Use Counselors working with justice-involved populations

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at varying levels of experience working in correctional or criminal justice settings.

    • Beginner: Participants are new to the topic of restrictive housing and seek foundational knowledge about its history, intended uses, and basic ethical and psychological considerations.

    • Intermediate: Participants have some experience or familiarity with correctional mental health practices and are interested in deepening their understanding of the empirical, legal, and ethical debates surrounding restrictive housing, as well as current reform efforts and alternative interventions.

    • Advanced: Participants have extensive experience in correctional or forensic mental health and are looking to critically evaluate complex policy reforms, implementation challenges, and the efficacy of alternative approaches to restrictive housing.

  • Practice Setting

    Practice occurs in carceral and justice-involved environments where safety, security, and rehabilitation intersect, including correctional institutions and community-based justice programs. Clinicians provide assessment, treatment, crisis intervention, and behavior management for individuals in general population and restrictive housing units, and support transitions to less restrictive settings and reentry.


    Examples of Practice Settings:
    • State and federal prisons (general population and restrictive housing units)
    • County jails and detention centers
    • Juvenile detention and secure treatment facilities
    • Forensic psychiatric hospitals and inpatient units
    • Community reentry programs and transitional housing
    • Probation and parole offices
    • Problem-solving/specialty courts (e.g., mental health or drug courts)
    • Community correctional centers and day reporting programs

Presented By

Ashley Batastini, PhD Associate Professor in the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science at Swinburne University of Technology

Ashley Batastini is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science at Swinburne University of Technology. She earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at Texas Tech University in the United States in 2015. Her work focuses on developing novel intervention strategies for higher-risk populations, improving access to appropriate interventions at various stages of criminal legal involvement, and addressing systemic factors within the carceral setting that can diminish the efficacy of interventions. Her research often considers ways to integrate technology into forensic and correctional mental health services. Beyond her research interests, Dr. Batastini has clinical expertise in conducting forensic mental health evaluations.

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Ashley Batastini, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Historical Overview and Purpose: Discuss the origins and intended functions of restrictive housing in correctional institutions, highlighting the reasons it has become a prevalent yet controversial practice.

  • Psychological and Legal Concerns: Examine the debates on the psychological harms caused by restrictive housing, especially for individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions, and explore the associated legal implications.

  • Reform Trends and Alternative Approaches: Review recent trends aiming to decrease the use of restrictive housing, focusing on alternative behavior management strategies that better align with rehabilitation and safety goals.

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.
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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).



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) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 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), SW CPE 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 and 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. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #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. CONCEPT Professional Training 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.