Post Incarceration Syndrome (PICS)

Abstract

Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS) is an emerging framework that examines the psychological, physiological, behavioral, relational, and social impacts of prolonged exposure to incarceration. Developed by Dr. Nicole L. Wiesen, the PICS model encourages service providers to understand many post-release challenges as adaptive survival responses to chronic stress, deprivation, hypervigilance, loss of autonomy, and institutional control rather than as individual deficits or treatment resistance. This training explores the foundations of PICS, the impact of incarceration on health and well-being, and practical strategies for supporting justice-impacted individuals through trauma-responsive, person-centered, and recovery-oriented approaches. Participants will gain insight into how incarceration affects identity, trust, emotional regulation, and engagement with services, and learn ways to promote safety, autonomy, and successful community reintegration.

Objectives

• Define Post-Incarceration Syndrome (PICS) and describe its psychological, physiological, behavioral, and social dimensions. 
• Recognize incarceration as a chronic stressor and identify how survival adaptations developed during incarceration may affect reentry, service engagement, and recovery. 
• Apply trauma-responsive and person-centered approaches that reduce re-traumatization and support autonomy, trust, and resilience among justice-impacted individuals. 
• Describe strategies for creating supportive reentry environments that promote recovery, community integration, and long-term well-being. 
• Identify the role of helping professionals, peers, and community systems in providing ethical, equitable, and PICS-informed support across the continuum of care.

Accreditation

PHYSICIAN (CME)

The University of Pittsburgh designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

NURSING (CNE)

A maximum of 1.0 nursing contact hours will be awarded. Participants will be able to claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the program.

SOCIAL WORK

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, University of Pittsburgh is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The University of Pittsburgh is responsible for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.0 continuing education credits.

Psychologist (APA)

Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.