The Division's activities are carried out on-site in housing units, in the Secure Psychiatric Unit (SPU), The Health Services Center (HSC) and located in the men's prison and health centers at NHSP/W,and NCF. Dental Services are located at NCF and NHSP-M in Concord and are available to all inmates.
The Forensic and Medical Services Division is subdivided into six operational groups.
- MEDICAL SERVICES
Medical Services consists of the Chief Medical Officer, a physician, consulting staff and a staff of nurse practitioners. Together they provide medical services to NHSP/M, NHSP/W, SPU, and NCF.
Medical Services provides comprehensive medical care for acute and chronic medical problems at NHSP/M, NHSP/W, SPU, and NCF.
- NURSING SERVICES
Nursing Services provides care to male and female inmates housed in 5 facilities. This is done through
Two (2) 24hr in-patient medical units, one (1) 24hr psychiatric unit, and two outpatient units.
Correctional Nurses mange acute illness and emergencies, provide assessment and education, perform health screenings, deal with mental health issues, and provide clinical and hospice nursing care at the inpatient sites.
- HEALTH INFORMATION
The Medical Records Department functions as the primary component of the Division's health information management tracking system. The health record serves as a primary source of quality improvement data.
The Medical Records Department is responsible for processing admissions to the prison system, coordinating outside consultant activities and scheduling and coordinating optometry services.
Medical Records processes requests for health information from inmates, attorneys, vocational rehabilitation, SSI disability determination and other correctional and health care facilities. The Health Information Administrator serves as liaison between DOC and the NH Department of Justice for health-related legal issues.
Medical Records supplies records to health care providers so patient medical information is available at each visit. Medical Records also ensures policies of confidentiality and access is strictly observed. The department also prepares monthly reports of health care activities.
Health Information (Medical Records) consists of a Registered Health Information Administrator, two full-time Health Information Technicians (one in Concord and one in Berlin), one part-time Technician and one part-time Secretary II. Health Information Services maintains the health record system to promote clinical effectiveness and efficiency and documents the health care provided. Services are provided to NHSP/M, NHSP/W, NCF and consultative services to SPU. Over 2,500-inmate health records are maintained Department-wide.
- PHARMACY
Pharmacy Services are central to all medication management functions- selection, procurement, storage, preparing and dispensing and overall monitoring. The Pharmacy at the NHSP-M provides pharmacy services system-wide.
Prescription medications are distributed to inmates using a color-coded system depending on the type of medication. The Pharmacy is part of the Minnesota Multi-state Contracting Alliance although alternative approaches to procurement are being explored. A Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee functions to review and approve a formulary and address medication management issues.
- MENTAL HEALTH
The Mental Health Unit staff consists of psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychiatric social workers and mental health counselors. The staff provides a variety of outpatient mental health services ranging from intake screening to medication evaluation and management.
Every inmate admitted to the NHDOC is seen for a mental health intake screening. From this inmates are referred to any of the full range of outpatient services offered by the mental health staff. These services include medication evaluation and management, individual and group psychotherapy and psychological assessment.
Services are also available for the severely and persistently mentally ill. The Healthy Pathways service provides in depth evaluation, structured treatment, medication management and discharge planning for these inmates. An intensive outpatient treatment program focusing on inmates with severe behavioral problems will soon be implemented. This program will consist of structured group treatment, medication management and structured activities groups.
The mental health staff also provide services to the inmate population housed in the Special Housing Unit at the men's prison in Concord. In this unit mental health rounds are done three times weekly to enable inmates to access services. These services include individual consultation and treatment, medication evaluation and management and group therapy focusing on impulse control.
Crisis intervention services are provided to the inmate population by the mental health responder system at the Concord prison. Mental health staff are on call Monday through Friday during the day to deal with mental health crises which typically deal with issues of suicidality or self-harm. In the course of responding to these crises, mental health staff perform suicide risk assessments and arrange for housing placements to maximize the safety of inmates in crisis. At the Concord facility each mental health staff member is assigned to a housing unit that they visit at least once a week to provide mental health sick call.
Mental health services are also provided by qualified professionals at the New Hampshire State Prison for Women and North Country Facility. These services include intake screening, medication evaluation and management, individual and group treatment, crisis intervention and treatment for the severely and persistently mentally ill.
- DENTAL
Dental Services are provided to all inmates. Dental Services staff consists of a Chief of Dentistry, consulting oral surgeon, dentists and assistants.
Dental Services serves as a training site for students from the New Hampshire Technical Institute's Hygienist and Dental Assistant Program.
