Purpose: The primary objective of this study was to highlight the magnitude and severity of mental health pathology in this population of probationers as well as its significant associations with substance abuse and probationer criminality.
Methods: 302 probationers in the Tarrant County Treatment Alternatives to Incarceration Program (TC-TAIP) were asked to take this study’s 72-question Mental Health Screening Tool (MHST) prior to their scheduled interview with with a Licenced Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC). 241 completed surveys were used for data analysis. All statistical tests were performed using SPSS version 15.0.
Results: The prevalence rates of current, symptomatic disorders were: 27.4% (21.7%-33.0%) for Internalizing disorders, 8.3% (4%-.11%) for Externalizing disorders, 22% (17%-27%) for Substance use disorders, 14.9% (10.4%-19.4%)for Co-occurring disorders, 8.3% (4.8%-11.8%) for adult ADHD, 21.6% (16%-27%) for Depression, 17.4%(13%-22%) for Anxiety disorders, and 19.5% (14%-25%) for Bipolar disorder. There was a significantly larger percentage of probationers identified as suffering from current internalizing disorders(p<.001), externalizing disorders(p<.001), current adult ADHD(p=.001), current Depression(p<.001), current Anxiety disorders(p=.001), and current Bipolar disorder(p<.001) in current substance abusing vs. non-substance abusing probationers.
Conclusions: Untreated mental health pathology decreases probationers’ treatment success rates in a substance abuse treatment program such as the TC-TAIP, and this in turn is associated with increased criminal recidivism. There is a heavy presence of mental health pathology in this population, especially in substance abusers. The Primary Care Research Institute (PCRI) is preparing to implement a novel Mental Health Screening Program utilizing technology to enable non-psychiatrist LCDCs to efficiently provide mental health screening services for this entire population.