Mental health and corrections: towards a working partnership.

This paper describes the development of mental health services to the courts and correction facilities in the City of New York. The origins, structure, and functions of the interagency New York City Task Force on Prison Mental Health Services are explained. The Task Force's role in the development, promulgation, and implementation of the Minimum Standards for Mental Health Services in New York City Correctional Facilities are outlined. These standards, enacted by the New York City Board of Correction, are described and discussed.