What We Do

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Mission

The NCCHC Foundation’s mission is to champion the correctional health care field and serve the public by supporting research, professional education, scholarships, and patient reentry into the community.

Vision

We envision a world with equitable access to health care practices, habits, and behaviors. Well-educated and supported correctional health care professionals can educate incarcerated patients for better health by introducing strong, consistent evidence-based medical and mental health practices. As our community gets healthier, it becomes stronger.

95% of all incarcerated people return to their home communities. Prior to incarceration, more than 60% are low income and members of minority populations.

Education

In 2022, more than 6,800 health care professionals participated in NCCHC educational offerings on-site or online. Many more work for states and counties with limited funding for travel and continuing education. The staff at the facilities most in need are often the ones left without access to these critical learning opportunities or must personally fund their own continuing education.

The Foundation provides scholarships for early career correctional health care professionals to attend in-person and virtual conferences, providing them insight and knowledge to bring back to their co-workers and patients. We also work with our partners, industry professionals, and educational institutions to support student participation to create awareness of the impactful work of a career in correctional health care. Learn more!

Workforce Development

A strong correctional health care system depends on a skilled, engaged, and sustainable workforce. The NCCHC Foundation works to strengthen the profession by creating opportunities for career development, professional connection, mentorship, and advancement. Through initiatives such as the NCCHC Foundation Career Center, the National Workforce Development Hub, virtual preceptorships, mentorship, and partnerships with employers and educational institutions, we help introduce new professionals to the field, support those already serving, and build a stronger pipeline for the future.

Reentry

95% of people who are incarcerated will return to their home communities. Ensuring continuity of care during that transition is critical to successful reentry, reduced recidivism, and healthier communities. The NCCHC Foundation works to strengthen connections between correctional and community-based care by advancing practical, scalable approaches to reentry. Our work brings together evidence, promising practices, and resources that help address gaps in care and support individuals as they return home.

Coming Soon! A Call for Persistence: The NCCHC Reentry Toolkit