WELCOME

Health and Criminal Justice Programs

Commonwealth Medicine serves as a technical, research and consultative resource for criminal justice agencies in the planning and delivery of healthcare, mental health and substance abuse services to their populations. These programs combine service delivery with broader efforts to promote best practices through academic initiatives and fostering linkages between criminal justice agencies and the Commonwealth's healthcare, mental health and public health systems. Programs include provision of comprehensive mental health services to inmates in the custody of the Mass. Department of Correction, including management of Bridgewater State Hospital; management of court-based mental health and substance abuse evaluation services under contract with the Mass. Department of Mental Health; and provision of specialty medical and clinical support services at the Federal Medical Center in Massachusetts, under contract with the U.S. Department of Justice. These services are augmented by ongoing development of academic programs in correctional medicine in conjunction with the UMass Graduate School of Nursing, Department of Family Medicine, and Department of Psychiatry.