Current Projects
Implementation and Effectiveness of Cognitive Processing Therapy in Community Corrections
This mixed methods study will increase knowledge on Implementation Facilitation and Cognitive Processing Therapy as an implementation strategy and intervention, respectively, when delivered to people with a pre-incarceration history of substance use currently residing in one of two Arkansas Community Corrections Centers.
- Zielinski, M. J., Allison, M. K., Steely Smith, M. K., Curran, G., Kaysen, D., & Kirchner, J. E. (2023). Implementation of Cognitive Processing Therapy in correction centers: Anticipated determinants from formative evaluation. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 36, 193-204.
- Zielinski, M. J., Steely Smith, M. K., Kaysen, D., Selig, J. P., Zaller, N. D., Curran, G., & Kirchner, J. E. (2022). A participant-randomized pilot hybrid II trial of group Cognitive Processing Therapy for incarcerated persons with posttraumatic stress and substance use disorder symptoms: Study protocol and rationale. Health & Justice, 10, 30.
Arkansas Building Capacity for Women’s Justice-Health PCOR/CER
The goal of this award is to develop a women’s justice-health alliance in Arkansas to increase the capacity for academic, justice, and community partners to conduct PCOR/ CER focused on justice-involved women’s prioritized needs. We will: (1) establish the alliance; (2) determine PCOR/CER priorities among alliance stakeholders; and (3) build consensus on ways to reduce barriers to justice-involved women’s participation in research.
Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Programs for Women in Prison: Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes
This is a multi-state investigation of enhanced pregnancy and postpartum support programs for women incarcerated in six geographically diverse prisons (MN, AL, MI, GA, VA, AR). There are three specific aims: (1) Identify facilitators and barriers to implementation of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum support programs for women in prison, (2) Evaluate the pregnancy and birth outcomes of program participants, and (3) Evaluate the birth outcomes of program participants.
- Wilson, S. H., Marsh, L. N., Zielinski, M. J., Corbett, A., Siegler, A., & Shlafer, R. (2022). Enhanced perinatal programs for people in prison: A summary of six states’ programs. Journal of Criminal Justice, 83, 101965.
Developing and Piloting Community-Informed Implementation Strategies to Prevent Suicide in Jails
This study aims to expand knowledge on strategies to support implementation of suicide prevention education in county jails using community-based participatory research. We will: (1) conduct a statewide survey of jail administrators to solicit their perspectives on a package of strategies to support implementation of suicide prevention education; (2) build consensus on strategies to pilot through an evidence-based quality improvement process with community experts in jail-based education and suicide prevention; (3) pilot a suicide prevention curriculum in two jails using the selected strategies; and (4) summarize observed barriers and facilitators to implementation during the pilot.
Arkansas Crisis Stabilization Study
This study is the detailed follow-up of in-person assessments with clients who have been admitted to the Crisis Stabilization Unit. For each participant, the follow-ups occurred over a 1-year period to see how they do once they are discharged from the CSU.
- Zielinski, M. J., Praseuth, A., Gai, M., Evans, L. J., Zaller, N. D., Umar, I., & Barocas, J. A. (2022). Crisis stabilization units for jail diversion: A preliminary assessment of patient characteristics and outcomes. Psychological Services, 19(4), 630-636.
- Barocas, J., Umar, I., Praseuth, A., Evans, L., Zaller, N. D., & Zielinski, M. J. (2022). An economic analysis of the cost of a regional crisis stabilization unit. Journal of Correctional Health Care, 28(1), 54-58.
Past Projects
Growing Together Study
This project expanded knowledge on incarcerated women in Arkansas by: 1) using administrative data to retrospectively examine the health status and outcomes of pregnant women who were incarcerated in Arkansas over a five-year period and 2) preliminarily evaluating the acceptability and feasibility of several kinds of perinatal support services that are currently being offered or that may be offered in the future (e.g., lactation program, support group, individual childbirth support).
Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Network for Evidence-Based Telemedicine Study
This project involved a novel, statewide, hub and spoke model of sexual assault forensic services by SANE-certified nurses, leveraging Arkansas’ extensive existing telehealth network to ensure all survivors who present for emergency care have access to quality exams.
- Allison, M.K., Curran, G., Walsh, W.A., Dworkin, E.R., & Zielinski, M. J. (2023). Factors affecting telemedicine implementation in emergency departments and nurses’ perceptions of virtual SANE consultation for sexual assault survivors. Journal of Forensic Nursing, 19(1), 41-49.
GUIDES Study
In this study, we interviewed and surveyed 63 women 3-5 years after release from incarceration. We assessed the impact of sexual assault group therapy during incarceration on long-term outcomes including mental health and addiction, as well as women’s current health service needs and access.
- Behavioral Health, Service Utilization and Barriers to Care: A Study of Formerly Incarcerated Women
- Formerly Incarcerated Women’s Experience of Healthcare in Prison
- Norris, W. K., Allison, M. K., Fradley, M. F., & Zielinski, M. J. (2022). “You’re setting a lot of people up for failure”: What formerly incarcerated women would tell healthcare decision makers. Health & Justice, 10, 4.
COVID Prison Project (CPP)
CPP was a nationwide academic effort to better understand how coronavirus impacted people who were incarcerated. HEALS Lab contributed to CPP by tracking data from prison systems in all 50 states to monitor policies and procedures related to COVID-19. More information can be found at covidprisonproject.com.
- Zielinski, M. J., Cowell, M., Bull, C. E., Veluvolu, M., Behne, M. F., Nowotny, K., & Brinkley-Rubinstein, L. (2022). Policy and public communication patterns among U.S. state prisons during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health & Justice, 10, 27.
Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility Mental Health Screening Study
This study assessed the mental health needs of those housed at Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility (PCRDF). We wanted to know what mental health programs could help this population, and used common mental health screeners and open-ended questions to assess prevalence of common behavioral health conditions as well as individuals’ perspectives on the programming that they desired.