Peer support services for individuals with health-related needs reentering the community after incarceration: a scoping review of program elements and outcomes.

Background: Peer support services (PSS) have become increasingly formalized in many healthcare settings. While use of PSS in the criminal-legal space is expanding, no comprehensive reviews of program designs and outcomes are available to characterize current approaches. This scoping review sought to identify PSS models for individuals with health-related needs transitioning from incarceration to the community and summarize key features and outcomes related to the models.

Results: A search of PubMed, PsycInfo, Web of Science, National Criminal Justice Reference Service, Criminal Justice Abstracts, Criminal Justice Database, Embase, CINAHL, and Social Services Abstracts databases resulted in a total of 66 studies that described 49 unique PSS programs delivered at re-entry. Fifty-six of these studies also reported on implementation factors and program outcomes. Programs varied in terms of target populations, staffing, services offered, setting, and duration. Quantitative outcomes most commonly surrounded linkage to services, substance use, mental health, HIV, and recidivism. Lived experience of peers, extensive engagement with participants, participant-centered support, and collaboration between agencies were highlighted as key factors that supported program implementation, while challenges largely related to staffing and participant outreach.

Conclusions: The heterogeneity in program design and the mixed results in both quantitative and qualitative outcomes likely reflect the need for programs to be responsive to the specific communities served. This review highlights innovative approaches within the growing use of PSS to support the health-related needs of individuals reentering the community after incarceration and may guide future research, design, implementation, and evaluation of such programs in the criminal-legal space.