The heart of the program was a series of eight sessions led by OT students in which groups of up to 10 prisoners learned about such issues as healthcare risks, prevention and protection, reproductive and gynecological health, sexually transmitted diseases and safe sex practices, substance abuse and mental health issues.

The grant also produced a trainers’ guide and toolkit to help others put in place similar programs. OT students performed functional assessments to gauge each prisoner’s ability to perform certain tasks. The program was overseen by a full-time coordinator with involvement from OT faculty, and program outcomes were assessed by an outside evaluator.

Through PhISH, inmates were connected to community healthcare providers prior to their release to help them transition more effectively to life outside prison. The program’s community partners included the City of Philadelphia Prison System, First Judicial District of the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Mental Retardation Services and JEVS Human Services of Philadelphia.

The grant focused on female inmates both because there is a lack of data on this prison population as well as a lack of programs that address the unique needs of women prisoners.

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