Mental Health Treatment Requirement Team (MHTR)
A Primary Care Mental Health Treatment Requirement (PC-MHTR) is a sentencing option that allows offenders with mental health difficulties to engage with treatment and support in the community, whilst also serving a sentence for their offence.
The MHTR team includes skilled mental health practitioners with experience of working therapeutically within criminal justice settings.
The Reflect service currently provides Primary Care Mental Health Treatment Requirements (PC-MHTRs) for individuals managed under Brighton Probation (BN1, BN2, BN3, BN41) and Crawley Probation.
Further expansion is expected for the service to cover more areas in Sussex. If you are unsure if your area is currently covered please contact the team.
An MHTR involves a psychological intervention (non-medicating, talking therapy), which includes building a shared understanding of a person's strengths and difficulties. It will usually include emphasising existing skills and teaching new techniques to cope better with challenging life situations and mental health difficulties. This can support the person to find new ways of problem-solving and behaving.
An MHTR is one of three possible treatment requirements which may be made part of a Community Order or Suspended Order sentence.
The Reflect service currently provides Primary Care Mental Health Treatment Requirements (PC-MHTRs) for individuals managed under Brighton Probation (BN1, BN2, BN3, BN41) and Crawley Probation.
To be eligible, individuals must:
• Be 18 years or older.
• Be registered with a local GP, or be eligible and willing to register by the time the intervention begins.
• Have a mental health condition that would benefit from psychological support, but does not meet the threshold for detention under the Mental Health Act 1983.
• Have pleaded guilty or been found guilty after trial, and the offence meets the criteria for a Community Sentence Order.
• Have expressed a willingness to participate in the intervention and given consent to the requirement.
This service does not exclude individuals with personality disorders, neurodiverse conditions, or those experiencing problematic drug or alcohol use.
Identification
An individual is identified as potentially suitable for an MHTR. Referrals can be made by different parties working across the criminal justice system. The service works proactively with partners to ensure that they know who can be referred and the process for referral.
Initial screening
The client is screened using the agreed tools. If screens do not indicate MHTR suitability, but the individual requires support in other areas, they can be signposted to appropriate local services or assessed by Liaison and Diversion.
Consent process
Consent is then explained and gained from the individual by the Primary Care MHTR assessor, who will fully explain the MHTR treatment process.
MHTR practitioner assessment
The MHTR practitioner assesses for signs of psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and other psychological difficulties using a semi-structured interview.
Clinical lead approval
The Clinical Lead and Primary Care MHTR Practitioner agree on MHTR suitability. If not suitable, reasons will be provided and if appropriate other support options will be recommended.
Sentencing
Proposed treatment/intervention plan discussed with the Court Duty Officer (CDO) who will include details in the Pre-Sentence Report (PSR), along with any other community requirements. The CDO will present the PSR proposal to the court.
Post sentencing planning meeting
If the court uses an MHTR order, a meeting is arranged within 14 days of sentencing between the client, Primary Care MHTR Practitioner, other requirement providers, and the Probation Practitioner who oversees the order. In this meeting the timing and sequencing of interventions is jointly decided.
Joint case management
Clinically supervised interventions are provided by the MHTR Practitioner, overseen by the Clinical Lead. The intervention typically involves 12 weekly sessions. If Rehabilitation Activity Days (RAR) or other CSTR orders have been sentenced to address criminogenic behaviour, the MHTR team will work in partnership with other providers.
Intervention completion
A final assessment to establish clinical outcomes following intervention is completed and shared.
- Rapid access to psychologically informed interventions, individually tailored to the needs of the client
- The intervention may typically involve getting a better understanding of mental health difficulties and learning a number of skills and techniques to address those
- An MHTR is focused on providing help and support in the community, rather than a custodial sentence
- An MHTR can help improve mental health and therefore reduce reoffending, cutting the cost of crime.
Individuals eligible for an MHTR will generally be identified by the probation service, or the Liaison and Diversion Service.
Enquiries can also come from:
• Legal advisors and other court staff
• Defence solicitors
• Judiciary
• Substance Misuse Services
• Community Mental Health Services
• Self-referrals
• Carers and family members
• Appropriate adults
Further expansion is expected for the service to cover more areas in Sussex. If you are unsure if your area is currently covered please contact the team.
Please note that the Reflect service operates from 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday.
Referrals and enquiries should be made via email: spft.