BOP Program Statement 5310.17 § 5

a. Initial Intake Evaluation and Transfer Intake Screening. All inmates entering a Bureau

institution are screened by Health Services and Unit Management staff within 24 hours. As part of

the Health Services’ screening, inmates are interviewed and observed for indicators of mental

illness and adjustment issues. Unit Management staff may note mental health concerns as well,

either through a review of available records or through direct observation of the inmate. When

Health Services or Unit Management staff note any such concerns, the inmate is referred to

Psychology Services for prompt follow-up. Inmates referred to Psychology Services as a result of

this preliminary screening are evaluated promptly by a psychologist. For inmates in holdover

status, no further evaluation is required, unless significant mental health or PREA-related concerns

are noted.

Inmates with a Psychology Alert assignment are also promptly evaluated by a psychologist,

consistent with procedures outlined in the SENTRY Psychology Alert Function Program

Statement. Details of the psychologist’s evaluation are documented in PDS using the applicable

note; e.g., Brief R&D Screening or Psychology Alert Screening.

Psychology Services intake screening procedures for non-holdover inmates are detailed below:

(1) Pretrial or Pre-Sentence Detainees in MCCs, MDCs, FDCs, FTCs, or Jails. The

Psychology Services intake screening process for pretrial or pre-sentence detainees in pretrial

status, in MCCs, MDCs, FDCs, FTCs, or Jail Units, provides for screening for mental health

problems. Within 24 hours of an inmate’s arrival, he/she completes the BP-A0519 Psychology

Services Inmate Questionnaire (PSIQ). Upon completion, institution staff (e.g., Receiving and

Discharge, Health Services) review the PSIQ and immediately alert Psychology Services if the

inmate reports he/she is thinking of harming or killing him-/herself. If the review is conducted

outside normal business hours, the on-call psychologist is contacted by telephone. If an inmate

reports he/she is thinking of harming or killing him/herself, a psychologist conducts a Suicide Risk

Assessment, as described in the Program Statement Suicide Prevention Program.

Ordinarily, completed PSIQs for all other inmates are reviewed by a psychologist within one

working day. Inmates who report current symptoms are scheduled for further evaluation and triage

in a timely manner. This evaluation is documented in PDS, typically as an Initial Intake

Evaluation note. All other inmate contacts are documented as appropriate.

Each Chief Psychologist is responsible for working with the Case Management Coordinator

(CMC) to ensure procedures are in place to obtain adequate historical psychological information

for state boarders and pretrial offenders, ideally in advance of the inmate’s arrival.

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(2) Newly Committed Inmates (Initial A-Des). The purposes of the Psychology Services Initial

Intake Evaluation for newly committed inmates are to:

■ Inform inmates about psychological services and the limits of confidentiality.

■ Identify significant historical and current indices of inmates’ emotional, intellectual, or

behavioral problems.

■ Assign an appropriate mental health care level.

■ Identify inmates who require additional psychological assessment to confirm a suspected

diagnosis or establish an appropriate mental health care level.

■ Identify inmates who require psychological treatment to address mental health needs and

generate the necessary referrals.

■ Identify inmates who could benefit from psychological programming to address reentry needs

and generate the necessary referrals.

To accomplish these objectives, a psychologist reviews the inmate’s completed PSIQ, PDS

records, SENTRY data, and relevant sections of the inmate’s PSR, and conduct a clinical

interview. The Psychology Services Initial Intake Evaluation, as documented in PDS, contains

information regarding the inmate’s mental health history and current symptoms, substance use,

history of sexual offending and sexual victimization, adjustment to incarceration, and other

relevant psychosocial information. Any intellectual disabilities noted at the time of the intake

screening are also documented.

Findings, to include a mental health care level and treatment and programming recommendations,

are also included in the Initial Intake Evaluation. This comprehensive intake screening is

conducted only at the time of initial designation and is not repeated at subsequent transfers during a

sentence, unless a significant change of status has occurred.

The Chief Psychologist ensures that inmates initially designated to FPCs, LSCIs, FCIs, USPs,

general population inmates at FMCs, and work cadre inmates at MCC/MDCs, FDCs, and FTCs

participate in the procedures below. Within the first 14 calendar days of the inmate’s arrival at

the institution:

■ The inmate completes the PSIQ.

■ A psychologist reviews available records (e.g., PSIQ, SENTRY, PDS and other relevant

BEMR modules, relevant sections of the PSR).

■ The psychologist conducts a clinical interview.

■ The psychologist documents the Initial Intake Evaluation in PDS using the required format.

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■ The psychologist ensures appropriate assignments are entered into SENTRY, to include a

mental health care level assignment (i.e., CARE1-MH, CARE2-MH, CARE3-MH, CARE4-

MH), a DAP REFER assignment if the inmate expresses an interest in drug treatment, and a

PSY ALERT assignment if relevant. Additional details regarding the assignment of mental

health care levels are contained in the Treatment and Care of Inmates with Mental Illness

Program Statement and Psychology Alert procedures are noted in the SENTRY Psychology

Alert Function Program Statement.

(3) Transferred Inmates, Writ-Return Inmates, or Inmates in the Community for Other

Reasons for More than 30 Calendar Days. A Transfer Intake Screening is required for

transferred inmates or inmates who have been out of the institution for more than 30 calendar days;

e.g., inmates hospitalized in the community for an extended period of time, inmates returning from

Federal or state writs, inmates returning from RRC placement. In such cases, the Chief

Psychologist ensures that within 30 calendar days of the inmate’s arrival at the institution:

■ The inmate completes the PSIQ.

■ A psychologist reviews available records (e.g., PSIQ, SENTRY, PDS and other relevant

BEMR modules) to determine the need for a clinical interview.

■ The psychologist conducts a clinical interview, if needed as specified below.

■ The psychologist documents the Transfer Intake Screening in PDS using the template provided

and provides information to the Unit Team to facilitate inmate management and the inmate’s

successful reentry.

Indicators of a need for a clinical interview include, but are not limited to:

■ The PSIQ reflects current symptoms of mental illness or any indication of a current need or

desire for services.

■ Collateral information is received from institution staff regarding behavioral observations or

inmate statements suggestive of current mental health concerns.

■ PDS/SENTRY indicates any of the following conditions exist:

 A Suicide Risk Assessment in the previous 12 months.

 A current diagnosis in PDS of a mental illness, excluding substance use disorders, antisocial

personality disorder, or adult antisocial behavior.

 A current SENTRY assignment of PSYCH ALERT.

 A current SENTRY assignment of CARE2-MH, CARE3-MH, or CARE4- MH.

A Transfer Intake Screening is not required for inmates who have been out of the institution for less

than 30 calendar days or for inmates transferred between institutions within a correctional complex

served by the same Psychology Services Department.

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(4) Medical Referral Center (MRC) Screening of Newly Designated or Transferred Inmates.

Newly committed (Initial A-DES) inmates at MRCs receive an initial Intake Screening as outlined

above. Inmates transferred from a Bureau facility to an MRC for treatment are screened in

accordance with local procedures and do not require a Transfer Intake Screening.

b. Screening for Risk of Sexual Predation or Sexual Victimization. As detailed in the Program

Statement Sexually Abusive Behavior Prevention and Intervention Program, psychologists play

a role in screening inmates for risk of sexual predation or sexual victimization. Findings from

these screenings are documented in PDS using the applicable Risk of Sexual Victimization or Risk

of Sexual Abusiveness note and relayed to appropriate staff (e.g., via SENTRY, TRUSCOPE).

c. Psychological Review of Inmates in Restrictive Housing. A psychologist reviews the

psychological status of any inmate confined in a SHU, SMU, ADX, or any other similar housing

for more than 30 consecutive calendar days. An initial psychological review is conducted on or

before the 30th calendar day of consecutive confinement in restrictive housing. Following this

initial review, subsequent reviews occur approximately monthly, but not more than 35 calendar

days after the preceding review.

Psychological reviews of inmates in restrictive housing rely on data from multiple sources; e.g.,

contact with the inmate; input from Correctional Officers working in the unit; information shared

during restrictive housing meetings; and relevant documentation contained in PDS.

The results of the psychological review are documented in PDS using the appropriate note; i.e.,

ADX Review, SHU Review, SMU Contact. With implementation of the SHU Program, copies of

SHU Reviews are no longer submitted to the Segregation Reviewing Official or to the inmate’s

Central File. Any concerns related to threat to self, threat to others, and adjustment to restrictive

housing are summarized in the note. In addition, clinically relevant observations and findings

specific to mental health status are required if the inmate meets any of the following criteria:

■ A mental health care level assignment of CARE2-MH or above.

■ A PSYCH ALERT assignment.

■ A Suicide Risk Assessment in the previous six months.

Additional guidance regarding the review of inmates in restrictive housing is contained in the

following Psychology Services Program Statements: SENTRY Psychology Alert Function and

Treatment and Care of Inmates with Mental Illness. In addition, Correctional Services Program

Statements describe psychological reviews required for inmates engaged in hunger strikes or

placed in restraints; i.e., Hunger Strikes, Use of Force and Application of Restraints. Findings

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from these reviews are documented in PDS using the applicable note; i.e., Hunger Strike Review,

Restraint Review.

d. Review of Inmates with a Psychology Alert (PSY ALERT) Assignment. The PSY ALERT

assignment is applied to inmates with substantial mental health concerns that require extra care

when their housing is changed or they are transferred. Generally, the PSY ALERT assignment is to

be applied in special mental health cases that will likely pose management and security concerns

for the institution when an inmate’s housing is changed or when a transfer occurs. The guiding

principle of the PSY ALERT assignment is continuity of care. Inmates with a PSY ALERT

assignment are reviewed by a psychologist upon arrival. Inmates with a PSY ALERT assignment

must always have a face to face interview with a psychologist before releasing to general

population. Placement in SHU in lieu of general population is not an acceptable alternative to a

face to face interview with a psychologist. If an inmate with a PSY ALERT assignment arrives at

the institution during a time period when no psychologist is scheduled to be on duty, the face to

face interview is conducted by the Mental Health Duty Officer.

In addition, inmates with a PSY ALERT assignment are reviewed by a psychologist when under

consideration for a transfer and when placed in restrictive housing. To ensure this review occurs,

applicable inmates receive a PSY ALERT assignment in SENTRY, as described in the Program

Statement SENTRY Psychology Alert Function. Enhanced psychological review procedures for

inmates with a PSY ALERT assignment are detailed in the above Program Statement, as well as

general guidelines for placing an inmate in PSY ALERT status.

e. Psychological Evaluations. Psychological evaluations are clinical assessments based on a

clinical interview, behavioral observations, psychological testing, and/or review of collateral

documentation, in which the psychologist reaches a conclusion based upon their clinical expertise.

Psychological evaluations must be completed as mandated in policy.

Examples of policy-mandated psychological evaluations are the Initial Intake Evaluation, court-ordered forensic evaluations, and mental health evaluations conducted in conjunction with an ADX

Referral. In addition, psychological evaluations may be performed at a clinician’s discretion,

generally to help formulate a diagnosis and/or treatment plan.

Inmates may decline to participate in a clinical interview or complete psychological testing

associated with a psychological evaluation. However, an evaluation may still be completed relying

on behavioral observations and a review of available documentation. The following Psychology

Services Program Statements detail procedures for specific types of psychological evaluations:

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■ Forensic and Other Mental Health Evaluations: Procedures for court-ordered pretrial and

post-trial forensic evaluations, Witness Security Program forensic evaluations, and evaluations

for disciplinary purposes.

■ Psychology Treatment Programs: Procedures for evaluations to determine eligibility for

Psychology Treatment Programs.

■ Sex Offender Programs: Procedures for specialized risk assessments and diagnostic

assessments of psychosexual and associated disorders.

■ Treatment and Care of Inmates with Mental Illness: Procedures for ADX Mental Health

Evaluations and Extended Restrictive Housing Placement Reviews.

In addition to the above psychological evaluations, psychologists may also assist with GED

accommodation requests by administering, scoring, and interpreting an intellectual assessment

instrument; e.g., Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, and rendering a diagnosis when appropriate.

These evaluations are conducted at the request of the Education Department, with a psychologist or

pre-doctoral psychology intern responsible for conducting the intellectual assessment and

Education staff responsible for conducting the achievement assessment.