Corrections_Today_Spring_2025_Vol.87_No.1

News&Views

VIEW FROM THE LINE

The critical role of multidisciplinary treatment teams in corrections Getting it right By Wence Asonganyi, Kristen Dauss, Denise A. Burkett and Michael L. Records

Multi-disciplinary treatment teams defined A multi-disciplinary treatment team (MDTT) includes professionals from various fields working together to provide comprehensive care. Each member contributes their expertise, creating coordinated care plans tailored to individual needs. This approach offers several benefits, such as more holistic care and better access to resources. The diversity of skills helps solve com plex problems and facilitates learning among team members. Additionally, collaboration in a supportive environ ment enhances job satisfaction and fosters a sense of achievement. The American Correctional Association (ACA) expected prac tices require the use of MDTT’s. A team from the ACA’s Coalition of Correctional Health Authorities (CCHA) set out to determine the extent of use of MDTT’s in correc tional health settings nationwide. Several questions were submitted to the entirety of this workgroup and Anecdotal data

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the results analyzed by this team. The results were interesting, and it is believed the results confirmed MDTT’s are used in multiple ways across almost all state and large jail settings to provide the best care pos sible to incarcerated individuals. The survey revealed that 97% of agencies used MDTTs for various fields such as physical health, mental health, substance use, reentry, disci plinary review and other functions. Depending on the agency and facility, MDTTs may cover multiple areas or be limited to specific ones as needed. MDTT topics include Reen try Services, Self-Harm Behavior, Hunger Strikes, MAT/MOUD,

Transgender Care and Protective Custody. Various disciplines par ticipate based on the topic. For example, reentry cases may involve Physical Health, Mental Health, Reentry Counselors, Probation or Parole Officers and Community Based Case Managers. MDTTs may be conducted in person or virtually, depending on the size of a jurisdiction. Since the onset of COVID-19, many jurisdic tions have transitioned to virtual formats. Survey data indicated there is significant use of in-person meet ings, video teleconferencing, dial-in phone conferencing and combina tions of these methods.

Corrections Today | Spring 2025

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