Date of Conferral

11-13-2025

Date of Award

November 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Criminal Justice

Advisor

Cindy Blankenship

Abstract

Many reintegrating offenders residing in northwest Florida’s rural areas are negatively impacted by a lack of access to mental health professionals. Inaccessibility to treatment service providers impacts the offender’s physical, mental and economic well-being. While research studies focus on examining access barriers in metropolitan jurisdictions, a gap remains in understanding how this issue adversely impacts offenders in rural communities. This qualitative research study examined the impact of inaccessibility to treatment services related to minority offenders in rural jurisdictions. Grounded by the intersectional theory and the general strain theory, this study utilized interviews with six mental health professionals who counseled offenders in northwest Florida’s rural areas. The participants held a bachelor’s degree or higher in counseling, social work, clinical or health psychology, and a current mental health professional license. Interview data were analyzed to identify key themes and patterns related to access barriers. Findings revealed that limited access to treatment providers and disparate treatment impeded ex-offenders from receiving appropriate mental health care which impacted successful reintegration. Additional findings indicated that spirituality, culture, and stigma discouraged reintegrating offenders from seeking mental health care. This study highlighted a need for criminal justice and mental healthcare systems collaboration to enhance current practices that address the lack of providers in rural jurisdictions which has the potential for enacting positive social change to improve the delivery of care for vulnerable offenders and potentially reduce strains on communities.

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