ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the Community Skills Development module which consists of nine sessions designed to provide criminal justice involved persons with mental illness (CJ-PMI) with skills to assist them with community reintegration. Specifically, problem solving, communication, and vocational skills are taught in this module. The "Community Skills Development" module includes nine sessions to educate participants about mental illness, symptoms associated with mental illness, symptoms of criminalness, mechanisms for seeking help, and relapse prevention strategies. The "Community Skills Development" module utilizes cognitive-behavioral and social learning theory to help participants gain understanding of their skill deficits and to develop problem-solving, communication, and career skills. The first session educates participants about what problem solving is, the importance of developing effective problem-solving strategies, and to help them identify the ways in which they have dealt with problems in past. Session five educates participants about the multiple components of effective communication skills, as well as helps them identify where their communication skill deficits lie.
