The role of the specialist mental health probation officer

Abstract

Individuals on probation have a high prevalence of health problems when compared to the general population. For them it is often difficult to access health treatment. Thus, improvement of mental health and access to mental health services could increasingly become a role of the probation officer. In Europe, there is less data about the use of specialty mental health probation (SMHP) than in the United States (US). In a survey for the Council of Europe, Brooker and Monteira (2021) summarized the practices of probation services and prisons among European countries. The authors alluded to useful initiatives in German states. One example is Baden-Wurttemberg, where some probation officers are trained to be mental health specialists (Brooker and Monteira 2021: 16). The main difference between the SMHP model in the US and the model in Baden-Wurttemberg is that the specialist in mental health in Baden-Wurttemberg does not necessarily care exclusively for individuals with mental illnesses, but rather serves as a source of expert knowledge to colleagues and assists with case consultations. Thus, the probation officer does not focus exclusively on one topic (mental health) and can take a holistic view of each individual case.