“We cannot continue to lock these people up. A lot of them are not criminals. They’re just having a bad day.” The closing of state-run psychiatric hospitals has filled county jails with people who should not be there, according to these Tennessee sheriffs…
Full story: Sheriffs: Closing mental hospitals fills jails with innocent people
Emergency rooms are having to call the police to control mental health patients while waiting for a bed to open up in mental health institutions. When patients are put into small examination rooms they get restless and it does not help their mental health issues by containing them without adding any mental healthcare. The hospitals do not have the proper materials to give these patients the help they need. When these patients become aggressive and get arrested for things such as disorderly conduct or assault, it is not what they need. They do not need to be put in a jail cell, they need to be put into a mental hospital. What are some measures that could be taken in order to have a space in between mental hospitals and jail cells? A gray area would be a hospital, but this is what puts them into jail cells. What could we do to keep mental health patients out of jail and get them the help they need and deserve?
Hi Laci! In response to this, I think a lot of people are overlooking the possibility of outpatient care. Outpatient rehabilitation, or care through different programs, is one of the best treatment methods for victims of mental health issues. These programs can include group therapy, individual therapy, and at home solutions. Sadly, I don’t know how to make the step for reform. This seems to be an issue that has not been solved for years, resulting in this “solution” . People in higher roles of power need to make this a priority, or there will never be a practical solution.
Would it be possible to implement better treatment for those experiencing a mental health crisis until they’re placed in a psychiatric facility? Placing a person experiencing a mental health crisis in a room with no window, no tv, no artwork, and no color on the wall (as described in the article) is egregious and irresponsible. It places the individual in an environment that further stresses/triggers them, which then only leads to said individual acting out, which leads to them being arrested and put somewhere that’s even worse for their well-being.
Not only that, but having only 577 psychiatric beds in a county that has a population of 59,000 is horrible and needs to be fixed, but what are the first steps in doing that? Having the beds without having the staff to properly handle those in the facility can only result in a failure that can affect the entire county.
If the officers recognize that this is indeed an issue, why are we seeing no action towards solving it? They’ve said themselves that this issue is becoming out of hand, to the point where police are knowingly locking up individuals with mental health disorders in an effort to “protect” them. Is there not a way in which the community could come together to protect these individuals without police involvement? Mental health is already a taxing issue for individuals when searching for future housing, a career, and even potential schooling. Giving them a criminal or civil charge on top of that could ruin their chances of breaking out of the cycle. I’m not sure what could be done, but it’s obvious that this issue is one that is already recognized, which is usually the first step to reformation.
Leave a Reply