Involuntary Confinement in New Hampshire
“Judge says New Hampshire must end practice of involuntarily holding psychiatric patients in hospitals” According to local reporting in Mancester, NH: “‘The permanent injunction order issued by Judge McCafferty in federal district court is an important step forward for patients suffering from an acute psychiatric crisis and their families,’ said Vanessa Stafford, spokeswoman for the […]
Israeli Police Shooting of Mentally Ill Man Reflects Years-long Pattern of Neglect
Although an interministerial committee to improve law enforcement preparedness for interacting with people with disabilities was established almost three years ago, police officials and mental health professionals said that none of the recommendations have been implemented. See more of the story here.
“CA Supreme Court rejects disability advocates’ bid to block Newsom mental health court”
Via The Sacramento Bee “Gov. Gavin Newsom will be allowed to establish a system of mental health courts after a lawsuit brought by disability rights advocates failed to block it from moving forward. The California Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled it would not prevent California counties from implementing Newsom’s Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment, or CARE, […]
High Number of Fatalities at Allegheny County Jail without proper explanation
Allegheny County Jail just reported their 17th death in the past 18 months. An inmate, Anthony Talotta, suffers from autism and was reported dead after being within the County Jail for two weeks. “He had been there less than 2 weeks and now he is dead,” said Allegheny County Council member-at-large, Bethany Hallam, a member […]
Pittsburgh: Healing or dehumanizing – Experts explore the rise in involuntary psychiatric commitment petitions
Involuntary psychiatric commitment is a form of medical incarceration where an individual is confined at a psychiatric hospital without their consent. “Amanda, I’m so sorry. The cops are here.” Panic shot through Amanda Wilson as she looked up from the hammock chair on the back deck of her Millvale home, taking in the grim expression […]
Alabama: AMI Kids equips youth & families to overcome barriers toward more positive future
Reporting from the Greenville Advocate: “According to regional director and licensed clinical social worker, Korah Skuce, since 2018, AMI has offered comprehensive services nationwide, from preventative to residential programs. AMI partners with the Alabama Department of Youth Services to offer family services like Functional Family Therapy (FFT), a nationally recognized, family- and community-based model designed […]
Minnesota recognizes she’s a woman. She’s locked in a men’s prison anyway.
Christina Lusk is a transgender woman and inmate at Minnesota Correctional Facility-Moose Lake. Lusk was denied a request to be sent to a women’s prison at intake and is now suing, demanding to be moved and also citing serious harassment and assault at this facility. Additional reporting from Jaclyn Diaz at NPR: This story is […]
Medical neglect for transgender inmates too often demands court intervention
“Transgender inmates who don’t get proper gender-affirming care in prison can experience serious anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. One individual said the experience was “catastrophic.” Note: This story contains graphic details of incidents of self-harm. NPR’s Jaclyn Diaz reports on the experiences of transgender inmates, including an incarcerated woman who’s been denied her hormones therapy […]
John Bel Edwards launches second investigation into Ware Youth Center
From the Louisiana Illuminator by Julie O’Donoghue: “The allegations are so serious that one of the state’s leading child welfare advocates said it is not enough to just investigate Ware’s operations. The state needs to move children and young adults at Ware to another facility, he said. “Other adults need to make sure those children […]
The Problem With How Courts Decide Whether Someone Can Be Executed
“The criminal justice system is unequipped to grapple with the complexity of mental illness.“ In this Slate.com reporting by Maria Armstrong-Lopez, I learned that the 2007 Supreme Court case Panetti v. Quarterman set the standard for when the government can execute someone with severe mental illness. I also learned that, fifteen years later, the state of Texas governor Greg […]