Imprisonment extends its impact beyond the imprisoned individuals, significantly and profoundly affecting their families across multiple dimensions of life. The fear of stigmatization, concerns about financial stability, and the distress and longing associated with the incarcerated relative can impose substantial psychological burdens. However, these struggles may not be readily shared with friends, leaving family members to grapple with negative emotions in solitude. Under certain circumstances, these conditions may precipitate varying levels of mental health requirements.
“Emotional Support Program for Persons-in-custody, Rehabilitated offenders, and their families” aims to care for the mental health of Persons-in-custody, Rehabilitated offenders, and their families. The program hopes to identify family members in need of counseling and/or psychiatric specialty services through mental health assessments, and provide referrals to public psychiatric specialty services for those cases in need.
This is a funded program, with all service fees completely waived.
Counselling psychologists will initially provide a mental health assessment for people participating in the program. Subsequently, the program will offer mental health support services as needed, including counselling and/or Psychiatry Service.
Stable cases will receive 6-8 individual counselling sessions, each lasting 50 minutes, provided by the counselling psychologist.
Serious cases will be referred to Public Psychiatric Specialty Services. During the approximate one-year waiting period, they will receive 8-10 sessions of 30-minute treatment from psychiatric specialists, along with 6-8 sessions of 50-minute individual counselling provided by the counselling psychologist, aiming to provide timely support.