Arizona Prisons Struggle with Rise in Inmate Self-Harm
As the mental health care in state prisons becomes increasingly worse, more and more inmates are attempting to harm themselves. New reports on inmate self-harm have come in as a result of the ADC attempting to settle a lawsuit over poor health conditions in state prisons. According to the data, hundreds of inmates in Arizona prisons have […]
Arizona Moving To Add AHCCCS Five-Year Limits
Arizona is moving to tighten requirements for Medicaid eligibility. It could become one of the first states to impose work requirements and five-year lifetime limits on “able-bodied” adult enrollees. While this plan has been delayed for over 5 months, the Trump administration appears to be favorable to the plan and the state hopes to get their answer […]
Mental Health Stigmas
Estimated to affect one in four Americans on average, mental illness is often considered to be a silent epidemic. Mental health stigma is a term used when people experiencing mental health issues are perceived negatively because of their condition, and may even face discrimination. Continue reading to learn about ways in which mental health is […]
New AZ Supreme Court Ruling On Insanity Defense
A new Supreme Court Ruling was decided earlier this month that says a defendant pleading insanity and voluntarily undergoing a mental health exam must provide the results to the prosecutor of the case. The ruling also states that the defendant with a mental health defense must include a statement about their impending charges. The prosecutors […]
La Paz County Votes To Lower Mental Illness In Jails
A unanimous vote taken by the La Paz County Board of Supervisors early this month will commit them to a national incentive aimed at reducing the number of mentally ill people in county jails. Stepping Up Initiative Stepping Up is a national initiative dedicated to reducing the number of people with mental illness in jails. Each year […]
Tucson Police Will Be Trained in Handling Mental Health
Police officers in Tucson have begun to receive training to better handle mental health crisis calls. Chief Chris Magnus said that 500 officers are expected to complete training by the end of the year. This puts the Tucson Police Department ahead of the rest of the country in mental health training. Mental Health Support Team The police […]
Mentally Ill More Likely To Spend Time In Prison
In today’s prison system, the mentally ill are more likely to spend their time in jail than getting help for their condition. And the prison system has failed its inmates with mental disorders more times than not. Mental Illness in U.S. Prisons About 400,000 inmates in the U.S. prison system are estimated to be mentally ill. […]
Life In Prison For The Mentally Ill
For a long time now, prisons have become dumping grounds for the mentally ill. With inadequately trained staff and far too little resources, prison is not an appropriate place to throw people with psychiatric issues. Most inmates end up suffering from isolation, deprivation and violence while their mental health goes untreated. Not only does prison […]
Seeking Treatment Instead of Jail Time
Mental health is always difficult to deal with, but can become even more complicated when it leads the the committing of a crime. Whether someone is dealing with addiction or a mental health issue like bipolar disorder, jail time is usually not an efficient solution for the defendant or for society. Seeking treatment instead of jail […]
What Are Sentences for Mentally Ill Offenders?
Many Americans with mental illness end up in jails and prisons each year. They also tend to spend longer terms in prison and end up back in prison costing local jurisdictions more money. They are typically jailed for nonviolent reasons and end up lacking the treatment they need. So what are other options for the […]