Communities are facing the problem reintegrating more than 700,000 inmates returning from long-term incarceration each year.  Many of these returning inmates had pre-existing addiction and mental health problems that were inadequately treated and often became worse during incarceration.  Many more have developed new mental health and substance abuse problems as a result of the conditions under which they were incarcerated.   Few received adequate treatment or rehabilitation.  Most communities lack the resources to meet the needs of these people as they return from prison.

The Post Incarceration Syndrome (PICS) describes the profile of mental health and addiction problems people develop as a result of long-term imprisonment.  PICS is a serious problem that contributes to both relapse and renewed criminal behavior in addicted and mentally ill offenders who are released from correctional institutions.