P05 - Conducting Grief Support Groups in Prison: A Pragmatic Feasibility and Impact Study

Presentation Summary: Unaddressed grief and trauma can significantly contribute to problematic substance use, addiction, criminal behavior, and incarceration. This presentation will discuss the implementation and evaluation of an evidence-based Grief Support Group Model conducted in seven groups within two SUD treatment programs in the Utah state corrections system. We will detail the training process for mental health clinicians, the feasibility of conducting grief support groups in a prison setting, and the efficacy of the intervention in reducing grief severity among incarcerated persons. We will focus on implications for correctional health care, trauma-informed approaches, and integrating grief support into programming for incarcerated persons.