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BOP Program Statement 5270.12 § 14

§ 541.32 Medical and mental health care in the SHU.

activein force · 2024-03-05 – presentact-effective-date

(a) Medical Care. A health services staff member will visit you daily to provide necessary

medical care. Emergency medical care is always available.

While in a SHU, inmates may continue taking their prescribed medications. For additional

information see the Program Statements Pharmacy Services and Over-the-Counter

Medications.

P5270.12 3/5/2024 Federal Regulations are shown in this type. Implementing instructions: this type. 17

(b) Mental health care. After every 30 calendar days of continuous placement in either

administrative detention or disciplinary segregation status, mental health staff will examine you,

including a personal interview. Emergency mental health care is always available.

Generally, an inmate who has been identified by Psychology or Psychiatry Services as a Care3-

MH, Care4-MH, psychology alert, or identified on the monthly SHU advisory should not be

placed in Special Housing unless they present an immediate and/or serious danger to self,

employees, or the orderly running of a Bureau facility. An inmate’s mental health care level

alone does not preclude them from placement in SHU.

If an inmate who has been identified by Psychology or Psychiatry Services as a Care3-MH,

Care4-MH, psychology alert, or identified on the monthly Psychology Advisory List (PAL), is

placed in Special Housing, Psychology Services will be notified and conduct a mental health

evaluation within 24 hours of placement. Psychology Services will conduct a psychological

assessment, including a personal interview, when administrative detention continues beyond 30

days.

Psychology Services conduct a similar psychological assessment and report at 30-day intervals

should detention continue for an extended period.

If it is not possible to avoid the placement of an inmate with serious mental illness in SHU, a

transition plan should begin immediately. A multidisciplinary team should be convened,

consider all options, including return to the general population, transfer to another general

population setting, transfer to a mental health psychology treatment program, or transfer to a

psychiatric inpatient setting. See the Program Statements Treatment and Care of Inmates

With Mental Illness, Psychology Treatment Programs, Psychiatry Services, and Inmate

Security Designation and Custody Classification.

Extended SHU Placement Definition. An inmate is considered to be housed in “extended

placement” when continuously housed in SHU for six months or longer. Inmates with serious

mental illness must be removed from SHU before they have been housed continuously for six

months, unless they have extraordinary security needs. A multidisciplinary team will be

convened to determine whether extended placement is warranted. At a minimum, the team will

include the Captain, Unit Manager, and a Psychologist.

Examples of extraordinary security needs may include a pending ADX referral, pending Federal

Bureau of Investigation referral, or serious assaultive behavior. If it is determined a seriously

mentally ill inmate has extraordinary security needs warranting extended SHU placement, that

determination, along with verification a team was convened and appropriate referrals were made,

P5270.12 3/5/2024 Federal Regulations are shown in this type. Implementing instructions: this type. 18

will be documented in the Psychology Data System-Bureau Electronic Medical Record.

Psychology Services will also enter the corresponding Bureau inmate management system code.

History

PS 5270.12 dated 2024-03-05

Provenance

Source
bop.gov
Retrieved
2026-09-20
Edition
bop-ps-2026-09-20
Content hash
c611b18eb38208f282c838bfe094801d6c8c0806080966a44639946a954ee9c0
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