Programs, Mental Health Services, and Housing at Phillips State Prison: what families should know

Phillips offers academic programming that can help someone build basic skills or work toward a credential. That includes GED (General Education Diploma) classes, Adult Basic Education (ABE), and Special Education. If your loved one is behind on reading or school skills, these options can be a practical starting point - especially if they’re trying to qualify for other opportunities inside or prepare for re-entry later on.

Phillips has vocational and on-the-job training programs in several trades for hands-on learners. Options include Auto Body, Auto Mechanics, Welding, Barbering, and Food Preparation. If your loved one does best with practical work - or wants a skill that translates to a job on the outside - ask which programs they can access and what the daily schedule looks like.

Phillips runs remedial and counseling programs targeting thinking patterns, behavior change, and recovery support. You'll hear names like Motivation for Change, Thinking for a Change, Moral Reconation Therapy, Re-Entry, and AA/NA (Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous). If your loved one is working through substance use, preparing for release, or building coping skills, ask what participation actually looks like day-to-day.

• ✓ Which academic track makes sense right now (ABE vs. GED vs. Special Education)
• ✓ Whether they want a trade skill (Auto Body, Auto Mechanics, Welding, Barbering, Food Preparation)
• ✓ Whether they’re looking for counseling-based programming (Motivation for Change, Thinking for a Change, Moral Reconation Therapy)
• ✓ Whether re-entry planning is a priority (Re-Entry programming)
• ✓ Whether recovery support is needed (AA/NA)

Phillips State Prison provides all levels of mental health services, including Level IV and Crisis Stabilization. That's a key detail: the facility can handle a wide range of mental health needs, from ongoing care to urgent situations requiring stabilization and closer support.

Phillips is also a host facility for Atlanta Medical Center and includes the Phillips Transitional Center with 310 beds. These details matter if your loved one has significant medical or mental health needs - or if you're wondering why they were placed at Phillips instead of somewhere else. If something changes suddenly, like a move within the facility, ask how care is coordinated across these services and units.

• ✓ What level of mental health care is my loved one currently classified for, and what services does that include at Phillips?
• ✓ If there’s a crisis, how is Crisis Stabilization accessed and what does that process look like?
• ✓ How does care coordination work with the Atlanta Medical Center host role?
• ✓ Is the Phillips Transitional Center (310 beds) involved in my loved one’s placement or care plan?
• ✓ If my loved one moves units, how is mental health treatment (including medications) kept consistent?

Housing at Phillips is organized into 10 living units, each with two dormitories. Seven and a half of those units use two-man cells; the rest have a combination of two single-man cells. The takeaway? Housing isn't one-size-fits-all. Where someone lives affects their daily routine, movement, and how much privacy they get.

The units with single-man cells house MH/SM inmates (mental health/special management). If your loved one is in MH/SM housing, their placement is tied to mental health needs, security needs, or both. When restrictions or limited access to activities come up, asking whether they're in MH/SM housing can help explain what's driving those limits.

Phillips has 100 isolation/segregation cells. Segregation is more restrictive housing, and it affects things families notice right away - like how often someone can attend programs or how predictable their routine is. If your loved one mentions being "in seg" or "in isolation," this is what they mean.

Phillips houses a Special Management Unit (SMU), along with a C.E.R.T. Team, Tactical Squad, and Canine Unit. You don't need to memorize these names, but know they're part of how the prison manages safety and high-control situations. Security operations can affect movement and scheduling - so when your loved one mentions lockdowns or restricted movement, these teams are part of the picture.

Questions to Ask

• ✓ Which academic programs are they eligible for right now (GED, ABE, Special Education)?
• ✓ Are vocational/OJT programs (Auto Body, Auto Mechanics, Welding, Barbering, Food Preparation) open for sign-up, and what are the prerequisites?
• ✓ Are Motivation for Change, Thinking for a Change, Moral Reconation Therapy, Re-Entry, and AA/NA available year-round or in cycles?
• ✓ Is there a waitlist for any of these programs, and how does someone get on it?
• ✓ Are there behavior or housing requirements that can block enrollment?

• ✓ What is their current housing status (including whether they’re housed in MH/SM), and does it limit program access?
• ✓ If they transfer within Phillips, how will that affect mental health services, including Level IV care or Crisis Stabilization access?
• ✓ If they’re moved to or from the Phillips Transitional Center (310 beds), what happens to ongoing classes or groups?
• ✓ Does the facility’s medical host role (Atlanta Medical Center) change how care is coordinated if there’s a medical or mental health issue?

• ✓ If they complete a vocational/OJT program (Auto Body, Auto Mechanics, Welding, Barbering, Food Preparation), do they earn any documentation of training?
• ✓ How do counseling and remedial programs (Motivation for Change, Thinking for a Change, Moral Reconation Therapy) fit into their overall plan at Phillips?
• ✓ What re-entry support is available through Re-Entry programming, and when should they try to enroll?
• ✓ If they’re in AA/NA, how consistent is access and what does participation look like week to week?