Intensive Assessment and Treatment Service (IATS) for offenders

PiC has worked closely with the criminal justice system in the provision of assessment and treatment of mentally disordered offenders for more than 25 years.

The trend in the general population has moved away from lengthy periods of inpatient psychiatric care. Whilst for some mentally disordered offenders extended hospital treatment is still appropriate, for many the emphasis should be on assessment, stabilisation, ongoing treatment and a planned return to prison, the community or residential service.

Our innovative Intensive Assessment and Treatment Service (IATS) is designed to ensure that specialised commissioners are able to meet the needs of mentally disordered offenders in an efficient fashion, within a predetermined and agreed cost framework.

This service allows commissioners to meet the Bradley recommendations for the timely transfer of severely mentally ill prisoners. IATS reports will inform the management of sentenced and remand prisoners with serious mental illness, and where appropriate support pre-sentence report preparation. All our IATS programmes are delivered in conditions of security with patients detained under a section of the Mental Health Act. IATS can be used to inform pre-sentence prisoners and those on remand.

One of the keys to the success of IATS is the successful integration of its treatment programmes with the care programme approach (CPA). All patients in IATS are subject to a full CPA. That CPA process should ensure continuity of treatment wherever that may occur beyond hospital, including prison.

The IATS Programme – In Summary

• Rapid pre-admission assessment
• Full psychological assessment using a range of established tools
• Suitable for all presenting mental disorders, including mental illness, personality disorder, learning disability and acquired brain injury
• Fixed 12 week programme dependent on need
• Full involvement of referrer and commissioner in assessment
• Written reports suitable for courts
• CPA transition planning

This service is now offered nationally.

For further information about IATS please download the overview document.