Abraham Navarro

Introduction:

The Cell Side Personal Finance (CSPF) project was conducted with permission and approval from the Office of Mental Health (OMH) and the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision(DOCCS). This 6-week program will meet weekly for approximately 45 minutes while cell side after normal afternoon OMH program. The CSPF is only offered to the Incarcerated Individuals ( IIs ) in the Mental Health Unit (MHU) of Auburn Correctional Facility. The project’s primary objective is to enhance the financial literacy of IIs and to equip them with the knowledge and skills to make informed financial decisions, overcome common financial challenges, and foster successful reentry into society.

The Social Issue

The social problem of personal finance poses significant challenges for individuals with and without a mental illness (Brandow, Swarbrick, Nemec, 2019; Mental Health UK, n.d.). High levels of debt have become a common struggle for many as people find themselves burdened with credit card debts, student loans, and other financial obligations (Dhue & Epperson, 2023). Simultaneously, insufficient savings worsen the problem, leaving individuals ill-prepared for emergencies and retirement (Dhue & Epperson, 2023). Another contributing factor is limited financial literacy, with a significant portion of the population lacking the necessary knowledge to make informed financial decisions (Dhue & Epperson, 2023) As a result, many individuals struggle to cover basic expenses as they live paycheck-to-paycheck. This leaves individuals facing an uncertain financial future (Shields-Zemman, 2022). This state of financial distress generates substantial mental health issues, including stress, anxiety, and other related problems, affecting overall well-being (Guan, N, Guariglia, Moore, Xu, & Al-Janabi, 2022).

Significance Of Issue

The issue of individuals with serious mental illnesses living in poverty is of significant importance due to its wide-ranging implications for their overall well-being and quality of life. Poverty exacerbates mental health challenges and it creates a detrimental cycle where financial difficulties contribute to increased stress, limited access to healthcare and resources, and reduced opportunities for recovery and stability (Shields-Zemman, 2022). The interplay between mental health and financial literacy intensifies the impact of poverty, making it more difficult for individuals to effectively manage their finances and break free from the cycle (Brandow et al, 2019).

The implications of this issue are far-reaching. Financial difficulties among individuals with serious mental illnesses can hinder their access to necessary mental health services, medications, and treatments, further compromising their well-being (Shields-Zemman, 2022; Guan et al, 2022). Limited financial resources can also result in inadequate nutrition, housing instability, and challenges in meeting basic needs, which in turn have negative impacts on their mental and physical health outcomes (Guan et al, 2022). Additionally, the lack of financial literacy and management skills perpetuates a cycle of financial insecurity, making it challenging for individuals to regain stability, achieve independence, and successfully reintegrate into society after incarceration (Shields-Zemman, 2022; Guan et al, 2022).

Based upon the research, this social issue directly has the potential to affect the IIs within the MHU at Auburn Correctional Facility. The IIs face the dual challenges of poverty and its impact on their mental health if they lack financial literacy upon their release (Kelly, 2018). The implications has the potential to extend to their families, who may struggle to provide support and resources due to financial constraints based on the amount of people struggling financially (Dhue & Epperson, 2023).

Initiator Of The Project

I initiated the project with permission from OMH and DOCCS. Central New York Psychiatric Center (CNYPC) sponsors the project by providing the office materials to create the contents for the group. Additionally, my field instructor has been instrumental in supporting and guiding the bureaucracy of state work and the project’s development and implementation at the facility.

What interventions have been designed?

The CSPF project incorporates two interventions to enhance the financial literacy of IIs in the MHU. The first intervention involves the development and provision of financial literacy worksheets covering various topics such as budgeting, saving, and debt management. Reports have indicated that financial literacy and mental health are closely linked, and that having knowledge about personal finance helps an individual with their mental health (Brandow et al., 2019; Guan et al., 2022). These worksheets are designed to be concise, visually appealing, and easy to understand. The worksheets should enable the IIs to engage in financial exercises and calculations within their cells. Practical scenarios and relevant examples are included to facilitate better comprehension and application of financial concepts. Sources that influenced the content of the worksheets are Dave Ramsey from Ramsey Solutions, Tobi Grey from Carolina Canyon Corporation, and Mental Health UK.

The second intervention entails distributing financial reflection journals to each II. Journaling has been shown to reduce mental health related problems, particular journals written with a focus on gratitude (Wong, Owens, Gabana, Brown, McInnis, Toth, & Gilman, 2015). These journals will serve as tool for self-reflection, goal setting, and tracking financial progress. The journal questions within the worksheets will include prompts and exercises that encourage the IIs to reflect on their financial habits, set goals, and identify areas for improvement. IIs can use these journals to monitor their financial growth, document milestones, and reflect on the lessons learned. Overall, the interventions of CSPF’s literacy worksheets and financial reflection journals aim to enhance IIs’ financial understanding, decision-making abilities, and overall financial well-being.

What were some of the results achieved?

The CSPF project successfully reached a significant number of IIs within the MHU at Auburn Correctional, with a total of 7 IIs actively participating in the financial literacy workshops and engaging with the financial literacy worksheets and financial reflection journals over the 6-week session. Measurable outcomes included increased understanding of financial concepts and terms, improved financial knowledge, enhanced budgeting skills, and improved financial decision-making abilities among participants. The IIs’ reflections and progress documented in their journals demonstrated improved financial habits and goal-setting practices. Evaluations for CSPF were distributed amongst the group. The feedback from participants indicated a greater sense of confidence and empowerment in managing their finances effectively. The project received positive feedback from participants, highlighting the practicality and usefulness of the cell side financial literacy worksheets and financial reflection journals. The project’s value in addressing the social need of financial literacy was recognized by OMH staff. While formal rewards of recognition may not have been granted, the positive feedback and support received from participants and staff indicate the project’s impact and effectiveness.

Conclusions

The CSPF project faced several limitations during implementation. Firstly, the limited duration of the 6-week session posed a challenge in covering all aspects of personal finance comprehensively. A longer timeframe would have allowed for a more in-depth exploration of topics and increased participant engagement. Additionally, the project experienced limitations in terms of financial resources, restricting the availability of supplementary materials and resources that could have further enhanced the learning experience. There were also rules from DOCCS and OMH that needed to be followed. It is against the rules to provide additional items to IIs, such as pencils, which could have improved their experience.

Lastly, and the biggest limitation faced, are the governing bodies that oversee the MHU. DOCCS is in charge of the facility, OMH develops the structure for the MHU, and CNYPC delivers the mental health services. In order for a new program to start, approval must come from all three bodies, or from approval of the New York State Assembly. Since these are state agencies, there is a lengthy bureaucratic process to get to the state’s capital to initiate a new program. 

Areas for improvement include tailoring the content to align with the specific needs and interests of each participant. Another area to improve is the structure of the worksheets. After several sessions, it will likely become more obvious on how to order the sections for the worksheets. Furthermore, establishing mechanisms for continuity and follow-up beyond the 6-week session would have reinforced the knowledge and skills acquired by participants. This could include regular check-ins, additional resources, or continued access to financial education materials.

An unexpected outcome of the project was the development of a strong sense of peer support and cohesiveness among the participants. IIs demonstrated a willingness to share their experiences, offer insights, and provide encouragement to one another, creating a supportive learning environment within the MHU.

COMPETENCIES

Competency 1: Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.

• This competency requires ethical behavior and professionalisms. The Cell Side Personal Finance program itself is a complex framework that I created, which is ethical, value grounded, and uses evidence-based research and interventions. The worksheets within this six week program also serve as evidence that professional writing skills were demonstrated.

Competency 2: Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice

• In order to complete competency 2, I needed to research an injustice that all of the incarcerated individuals in the MHU are vulnerable to. In doing so, I learned that the CSPF program can provide justice for the individual since it offers an opportunity to learn financial literacy. In order to demonstrate use of this competency in my program, I designed the program so that it bring justice to a population that is socially and economically vulnerable. The individuals that attend this program are classified as having a serious mental illness diagnosis (SM) and they are vulnerable to falling into a cycle of poverty, repeating their offenses, and stimulation that reaggravates their diagnosis. The CSPF program is an evidence-based program with relevant strategies that gives these incarcerated individuals financial literacy to not fall victim of such cycle upon their release, and it give them the opportunity to use such knowledge to advance in life.

Competency 3: Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice

•  The CSPF program does not discriminate on race, ethnicity, gender, or age. Even though this program is offered at a men’s correctional facility, this program is applicable to all individuals, regardless of their gender, race, or diagnosis. This program demonstrates the use of Competency 3 by offering information to individuals that are likely to lack financially literacy due to the mental health diagnosis interfering with them having such knowledge.

Competency 4: Engage in practice informed research and research informed practice.

• Research is important and I recognized that a program must be back my research. The interventions within the CSPF program are evidence-based. The resources mentioned in the reference supports the interventions of financial literacy education and journaling as being effective strategies in helping the individuals with maintaining control of their mental illness and preventing them from falling victim to financial factors that stimulate their symptoms. There is also an ample amount of research that supports the knowledge that is shared through the six sections of the program.

Competency 5: Engage in policy practice

• The CFSP program is a tiny leaf compared to the entire structure within the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) and the Office of Mental Health (OMH). I consulted with my field instructor, the unit chief, to get an understanding on how to propose the program through different level of management within the state of New York. In doing so, I learned about the policies in place and the levels I need to go through to initiate this program in the mental health unit. I recognized that policies are in place so that there is structure and formality in approving programs to ensure that the clients receive the best services. In order to get he program approved I would have needed to submit a program proposal to the unit chief, who would then sent it to the Deputy of Mental Health Services at the facility. It will then need to be consulted with Associate Commissioner of Mental Health and Coordinated with the OMH in order to be approved. The other option is engage in a campaign for legislative change through the New York State Assembly to the CFSP offered in the mental health unit of all DOCCS facilities.

Competency 6: Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

• The CSFP program requires personal engagement with the incarcerated individuals on an individual or group basis in order for the program to be fully effective on it’s purpose. It is important to engage with a client on an individual level to be able to provide service, and it is important to create a form of advertisement for your services so that a potential client knows what you are offering. To initiate this first step of engagement for the program, I created a poster to help advertise the program to individuals in the mental health unit

Competency 7: Assess with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

• The CSPF program has assessments in the first three sections of the program through it’s activities within the worksheets. I recognized that it is important to assess my client’s understanding of financial literacy to gauge where each individual is. The assessments within the worksheets helps the program’s facilitator see the individual’s current knowledge and understanding of personal finance so that the facilitator can meet there the individual is at.

Competency 8: Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

• I understand that evidence-based interventions are necessary to provide rehabilitating services to an individual. The CSPF offers three evidence-based interventions to it’s participating members. The first two interventions are financial literacy education and journaling. These interventions help the individuals maintain control of their mental illness and it gives them the tools to prevent falling victims to financial factors that can stimulate their symptoms. The third intervention is the therapeutic process that is offered through the sessions, whether if it’s to one or more individuals at a time. As the facilitator of the program, I recognized the importance that interventions are more than the education piece, but also the dialogue that is done in the session that help with rehabilitation (Harpine, 2008). 

Competency 9: Evaluate individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

• In order to gauge the effectiveness of the program, I created a program evaluation to offer the individuals participating in the CSPF to hear their feedback. The information I gain is important to continue the development of the program and improve areas that need it so that CSPF can have a bigger positive impact on the individuals. This evaluation will be offered to all individuals that attended, even if they were only present for one of the sections. This evaluation will provide me with valuable information that I can use to help improve the current program so that it make have a more effective impact on the individuals. 

References

Brandow, C. L., Swarbrick, M., & Nemec, P. B. (2019) Rethinking the cause and consequences of financial wellness for people with serious mental illness. Psychiatric Services, 71(1) 89-91. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201900323

Dhue, S., & Epperson, S. (2023, April 11) 70% of Americans are feeling financially stressed, new CNBC survey finds. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/11/70percent-of-americans-feel-financially-stressed-new-cnbc-survey-finds.html

Grey. T. (2023, February 17). The mind-money connection: How mental health and financial literacy impact your life. Invest3c. https://www.invest3c.com/blog/the-mind-money-connection-how-mental-health-and-financial-literacy-impact-your-life

Guan, N., Guariglia, A., Moore, P., Xu, F., & Al-Janabi, H. (2022). Financial stress and depression in adults: A systematic review. PloS one, 17(2), e0264041. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0264041

Harpine, E. C. (2008) Group interventions in schools: Promoting mental health for at-risk children and youth. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-77317-9

Kelly, K. (2019, Febrrary 10) Prisoners are among the most vulnerable people in the U.S. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/02/10/prisoners-are-among-most-vulnerable-people-us/

Mental Health UK. (n.d.) Mental health and money toolkit. Mental Health & Money Advice. Retrieved May 8, 2023, from https://www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org/en/toolkit/

Ramsey, D. (n.d.) The 7 baby steps. Ramsey Solutions. Retrieved July 17, 2023, from https://www.ramseysolutions.com/dave-ramsey-7-baby-steps?gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw_aemBhBLEiwAT98FMs2kNxkhuMrGVfEqm Tr4WqhhhiOWBrXlppGFaZmnGzkrKhfjRCXuhRoCiPkQAvD_BwE

Shields-Zemman, L. (2022). The impact of income on mental health. The Lanet Public Health, 7(6), https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(22)00094-9

Wong, J, Y., Owens, J., Gabana, N. T., Brown, J. W., McInnis, S., Toth, P., & Gilman, L. (2015) Does gratitude writing improve the mental health of psychotherapy clients? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial. Psychotherapy Research, 28(2), 192-202. https://DOI:10.1080/10503307.2016.1169332