| Abstract: | Current (1978) and projected (1985) patterns for the employment of psychologists and other mental health personnel in state correctional institutions are compared to professional and judicial standards for mental health manpower. Professional standards posited by the American Correctional Association see the psychologist and social worker as the principal agents of mental health care in the nation's prisons. Against these standards, severe shortages of psychologists are observed in the prisons, and an increase in the psychological work force of 245% will be required for prisons by 1985. Judicial standards set forth in the Pugh v. Locke decision of 1976 place emphasis in mental health care delivery on subprofessionals and paraprofessionals. Against these standards, a current shortage in the psychological work force is of negligible magnitude, and an increase of only 36% is required against 1985 projections. Speculations are offered about future mental health staffing needs under varying sets of judicial and legislative decisions. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
