Program Implementation in the Prison System: An Organizational Study of the Chronic Care Model Program

This study provides evidence of a successful implementation of a not-for-profit operational model within a public setting. The federal government placed a receiver in charge of improving health care within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. To achieve the receivership's goals, a chronic care model from the not-for-profit sector was selected and implemented to improve the delivery of health care to inmates. The data suggest that operational programs developed outside of the government setting can fit the public-sector context with considerable and carefully selected modifications. This study also finds that focusing managerial behavior on program implementation details is also required for successful implementation.These results may be generalizable to other settings in which private-sector models are selected for implementation in public-sector agencies. Policy makers and program administrators concerned with improving health care within correctional settings can use the framework for program implementation developed within this study