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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
Time: 12:41 am
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Results for mental health care
10 results foundAuthor: Rosenthal, Eric Title: Abandoned and Disappeared: Mexico’s Segregation and Abuse of Children and Adults with Disabilities Summary: Disappeared and Abandoned: Mexico’s Segregation and Abuse of Children and Adults with Disabilities is the product of a year-long investigation and collaboration between Disability Rights International (DRI) and the Comisión Méxicana de Defensa y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos (CMDPDH). From August 2009 through September 2010, DRI and the CMDPDH investigated psychiatric institutions, orphanages, shelters, and other public facilities that house children and adults with disabilities. This report documents violations of the rights of people with disabilities under the new United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and other human rights treaties ratified by Mexico. The investigative team documented a broad array of human rights violations against people with disabilities and found that many people are forced to live their entire lives in institutions in atrocious and abusive conditions. This report concludes that Mexico segregates thousands of children and adults with disabilities from society in violation of CRPD article 19 which guarantees the “right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community with choices equal to others.” The primary reason for institutionalization is Mexico’s lack of community-based services to provide the support necessary for individuals with mental disabilities to live in the community. People without families who are willing or able to support them are officially referred to as abandonados, and they are relegated to languish in institutions without hope for return to the community. Children with disabilities may have loving families. But without support, many parents of children with disabilities have no choice but to place their children in institutions. Within institutions, children and adults with disabilities are subject to inhuman and degrading conditions of detention that violate the CRPD and other human rights conventions, such as the American Convention on Human Rights1 and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Filthy, run-down living areas, lack of medical care and rehabilitation, and a failure to provide oversight renders placement in some institutions dangerous and even life-threatening. The use of long-term restraints in institutions may rise to the level of torture under the UN Convention against Torture. The failure to provide essential medical care to people detained in Mexican facilities violates their right to life under the CRPD and the American Convention on Human Rights. Due to a failure to provide oversight, children have literally disappeared from institutions. Some of these children may have been subject to sex trafficking and forced labor. Mexico’s laws fail to protect children or adults with disabilities against arbitrary detention in violation of the CRPD and American Convention. Once in institutions, the right to legal recognition as a person – as protected by article 12 of the CRPD – is denied by the arbitrary denial of the right to make the most basic decisions about life. Details: Washington, DC: Disability Rights International, 2010. 73p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2011 at: http://www.disabilityrightsintl.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Mex-Report-English-Nov30-finalpdf.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Mexico URL: http://www.disabilityrightsintl.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Mex-Report-English-Nov30-finalpdf.pdf Shelf Number: 121139 Keywords: Adults with DisabilitiesChild Abuse and NeglectChild ProtectionDisability (Mexico)Human RightsMental Health Care |
Author: Powell, Jenelle Title: Self-Injurious Behaviour: A Review of the Literature and Implications for Corrections Summary: The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is responsible for providing a safe and secure environment in which offenders can work towards becoming law-abiding citizens. Self-injurious behaviour (SIB) poses a serious challenge to CSC’s ability to provide this safe environment for offenders as well as for institutional staff. SIB can be defined as any type of direct bodily harm or disfigurement that is deliberately inflicted on oneself that is not considered to be socially acceptable, such as cutting, head banging, hair pulling, and ligature use. This literature review was undertaken to determine what is currently known about SIB and what gaps exist in order to inform future research and intervention strategies in federal institutions. Several attempts have been made to develop a classification system that would be useful for researchers and clinicians. Currently no adequate system has been developed and no one system is in widespread use. An empirically-derived classification system that accounts for the unique environment of a correctional facility would help increase understanding of the behaviour and target treatment to the particular needs of at risk individuals. It is difficult to ascertain an accurate prevalence rate of participation in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). The best estimate of prevalence rate for the general adult population is 4%. Prevalence rates of SIB occurring while incarcerated in the general population of correctional institutions range from 1-5%. Rates for women offenders are likely higher, with best estimates being around 23%. Offenders with mental health issues have increased rates that may be as high as 53%. Skin cutting has been found to be the most common type of NSSI. Numerous correlates of self-injurious behaviour have been found, including borderline personality disorder, history of trauma and abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, eating disorders, same-sex attraction, and homosexuality, impulsivity, anger and aggression. Suicide has been found to be a correlate, but is a behaviour distinct from NSSI. Research has yet to determine the process by which NSSI is initiated and maintained. A wide variety of motivations for engaging in SIB have been proposed, although few have been empirically validated. The strongest support has been found for the use of SIB as a method of coping with negative emotions. While there is likely a large amount of overlap in motivations for self-injury between institutionalized and non-institutionalized populations, some unique motivations may exist in institutional populations. The current literature lacks large-scale, empirical research with incarcerated populations that adequately assesses NSSI. An increased understanding of NSSI within federal institutions could improve the safety of offenders and staff, as well as the treatment, management and prevention of NSSI in federal correctional facilities. Research is needed to determine the prevalence of NSSI, to establish a classification system that can be used with incarcerated populations, and determine the effect, if any, of institutionalization on NSSI. Most importantly, an increased understanding of the development and maintenance of NSSI is imperative for the development of appropriate strategies to manage this behaviour, including efforts to reduce and ultimately prevent its occurrence. Research is currently underway within CSC to address these gaps. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2010. 67p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 2010 No. R-216: Accessed March 29, 2011 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r216/r216-eng.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r216/r216-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 121199 Keywords: Mental Health CarePrisonersSelf-HarmSelf-Injury, Inmates (Canada) |
Author: Power, Jenelle Title: A Comparative Review of Suicide and Self-Injury Investigative Reports in a Canadian Federal Correctional Population Summary: The present investigation focuses the national investigation reports for all 80 male and 6 female offenders who were the subjects of national investigations for incidents of self-injury (including suicide attempts) or suicide while under the supervision of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) between fiscal years 2003-2004 and 2007-2008. The offenders included were the subjects of investigations by the Investigations Branch of the CSC and were residing in CSC’s institutions or in the community during the incident. The study examines the cases of twenty offenders who were involved in incidents of self-injury and sixty-six cases of offenders who died by suicide. Eleven of the offenders who engaged in self-injury were involved in multiple self-injurious incidents that occurred in close temporal proximity and resulting in 51 self-injury events included in the study. The proportion of Aboriginal offenders in the population was comparable to the proportion in the overall federal offender population. The offenders in the suicide group appeared to be more likely to have longer sentences and more violent histories than those in the self-injury group. The proportion of the self-injury events that occurred in the Prairie and Quebec regions was low relative to the proportion of CSC’s population in these regions while the proportion of self-injury events that occurred in the Atlantic and Pacific regions was higher. Ligature use was by far the most common method used by offenders who died by suicide. In cases of self-injury, the most common method used was also ligature, followed by cutting. SIB was most likely to occur in segregation while suicide was most likely to occur in cells in the general population. In the majority of incidents of suicide and self-injury, there were precipitating events that could be identified in retrospect. However, these precipitating events were often not interpreted as significant events at the time and were usually events that are not uncommon among the offender population. The majority of offenders in both groups had a history of depression and/or hopelessness as well as self-injury. About one-third of the suicide group had family members or friends who had died by suicide. Offenders in the self-injury group were significantly more likely to have concurrent psychological disorders than those in the suicide group. Suicide and self-injury were more likely to occur on the weekends than during the week. Self-injury was more likely to occur in the evenings and during the winter months. Further research on self-injurious behaviour and suicide in federally sentenced offenders is required. Research taking place in the Research Branch will examine environmental and psychological factors associated with these behaviours in offenders. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2010. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 2010 No. R-221: Accessed March 29, 2011 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r221/r221-eng.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r221/r221-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 121203 Keywords: Inmate SuicideMental Health CareSelf-HarmSelf-Injury, Inmates (Canada) |
Author: U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General Title: Management of Mental Health Cases in Immigration Detention Summary: Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehends, detains, and removes illegal aliens from the United States. Aliens in custody must be provided with appropriate medical treatment and care. The Health Service Corp serves as the medical authority for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and provides direct care or arranges for outside health care services to detained aliens in custody. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Health Service Corps staffs only 18 of the nearly 250 detention centers nationwide and has limited oversight and monitoring for mental health cases across immigration detention centers. As a result, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not fully aware of all detainees with mental health conditions, or the level of care being provided. The Health Service Corps has experienced persistent vacancies in mental health positions which have raised concerns about the effectiveness of provider care. As of August 2010, vacancy rates at 11 of the 18 facilities staffed with Health Service Corps employees were 50% or more. In addition, facilities were not always well-equipped to support the needs of detainees with mental illness or located in areas with access to community mental health care facilities. Immigration and Customs Enforcement needs to (1) establish a staffing plan that aligns staffing with the facilities’ mental health caseload, (2) make appropriate space available to provide needed treatment, (3) develop a classification system for facilities to determine the level of care that can be provided, (4) make timely requests for mental health information, (5) clarify decision-making authorities for detainee transfer decisions, (6) establish protocols for handling mental health information, (7) release guidance on custodians, and (8) develop field guidance for using specialty facilities. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, 2011. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: OIG-11-62: Accessed April 22, 2011 at: http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/assets/mgmtrpts/OIG_11-62_Mar11.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/assets/mgmtrpts/OIG_11-62_Mar11.pdf Shelf Number: 121475 Keywords: Illegal AliensImmigrant DetentionImmigrantsMental Health Care |
Author: Gordon, Arthur Title: Self-Injury Incidents in CSC Institutions Over a Thirty-Month Period Summary: Between April 1, 2006, and September 30, 2008, 1,230 self-injury incidents were reported in the Offender Management System (OMS), a national database that contains information on all federal offenders, and/or in the Situation Reports (SITREP), which are daily reports designed to keep senior managers abreast of significant incidents across CSC. Descriptions of the incidents based on these sources were examined. The following are the main findings: • The number of self-injury incidents across Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) that were reported increased by 73% during the 30-month study period from 197 incidents (between April and September, 2006) to 341 incidents (April – September 2008). The pattern of change is similar whether the data are based on SITREP alone or the more complete dataset (OMS-SITREP) used in this study. The data do not, however, determine what factors drove this increase. The number of self harming incidents may be due to an actual increase in self injurious behaviour related possibly related to a changing offender profile, or to greater staff awareness and changes to reporting standards that occurred within CSC during this time period, or, indeed, other factors. • Women offenders were proportionately more likely than male offenders to engage in self-injurious behaviours. Women were more likely than men to self-injure more than once. • The number of self-injury incidents among Aboriginal offenders was greater than would be expected based on their population in the institutions. • The five treatment centres and the maximum/multi-security institutions had the most self-injury incidents, the most offenders who self-injured, and the most offenders who self-injured repeatedly. • Male offenders tended to self-injure by slashing or overdosing, while women offenders showed higher use of ligatures or head-banging. • Ninety percent of self-injury incidents resulted in no or minor injury to the offender. • Sixty-seven percent of offenders self-injured only once during the study period. While a similar percentage of men and women offenders engaged in self-injury more than once, women who repeatedly self-injured had more such incidents than did men. • Twenty-six of the 1,230 self-injury incidents resulted in death. However, 77% of the inmates who died had no previous documented incidents of self-injury during their incarceration suggesting that self-injury appears to be a distinct phenomenon that should be studied independently of attempted suicide. • Based on the results of this report, it can be concluded that data extraction through OMS queries is not sufficient to provide an accurate measure of self-injurious incidents due largely to variability in how such incidents are coded in OMS. Creating a field in OMS that would indicate whether an incident involved self-injury would provide a more efficient and reliable measure of self-injury. In addition, future research should focus on the psychological and behavioural characteristics of self-injuring offenders to better inform prevention, management and treatment options. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2010. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 2010 Nº R-233: Accessed April 16, 2012 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r233/r233-eng.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/rsrch/reports/r233/r233-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 124980 Keywords: Inmate SuicideMental Health CareSelf-HarmSelf-Injury, Inmates (Canada) |
Author: Acoca, Leslie Title: Health Coverage and Care for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System: The Role of Medicaid and CHIP Summary: Girls and boys in the juvenile justice system are a diverse group of young people with often complex health needs.0F1 Many are from low-income families of color, have suffered abuse, were involved in the foster care system, and may require comprehensive and ongoing physical, reproductive, mental, and behavioral health services upon discharge from juvenile justice residential facilities. The provision of comprehensive, coordinated physical and mental health services for girls and boys while they are in the juvenile justice system and in their communities and after release is important to their rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Given the low incomes of many of these youth, Medicaid has the potential to play an important role in financing these services. This brief provides an overview of the health and mental health needs of girls and boys in the juvenile justice system and the role of Medicaid in addressing those needs. It focuses on the circumstances of those girls and boys who are placed in juvenile justice residential facilities, the discontinuity of Medicaid coverage for those youth, and the options for improving coverage, continuity of care and access to needed services post-discharge, including new opportunities provided by the Affordable Care Act. Details: Menlo Park, CA: Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2014. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Brief: Accessed August 13, 2014 at: http://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/8591-health-coverage-and-care-for-youth-in-the-juvenile-justice-system.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/8591-health-coverage-and-care-for-youth-in-the-juvenile-justice-system.pdf Shelf Number: 133031 Keywords: Affordable Care Act Health Care Juvenile Justice System Juvenile Offenders (U.S.) Medicaid Mental Health Care |
Author: Disley, Emma Title: Evaluation of the Offender Liaison and Diversion Trial Schemes Summary: Liaison and diversion (L&D) schemes operate primarily in police custody suites and courts and aim to identify and assess people with vulnerabilities as they pass through the criminal justice system, to ensure their needs are identified. L&D services have been operating in England for at least 25 years. Not all areas have L&D services and among those that do, there is considerable variation in the nature of the services. In 2009, Lord Bradley reviewed the provision of services for people with mental health problems and learning disabilities in the criminal justice system and recommended that a national L&D model be created. Between 2011 and 2013, the Department of Health was supported by an external partner, the Offender Health Collaborative, to develop a national L&D model. The aims of the National Model are to: Improve access to healthcare and support services for vulnerable individuals and a reduction in health inequalities; divert individuals, where appropriate, out of the youth and criminal justice systems into health, social care or other supportive services; deliver efficiencies within the youth and criminal justice systems; and reduce reoffending or escalation of offending behaviours. In April 2014 a new model for L&D schemes was implemented in ten areas of England. An evaluation was commissioned by the Department of Health to look at the implementation of the new model in these sites, and to investigate any impacts on the criminal justice process, impacts on local organisations and impacts on the health and criminal justice outcomes of service users. Key Findings The implementation of the National Model for L&D had resulted in significant changes in all ten sites. - The National Model was, on the whole, implemented by the second year of operation across all ten sites. The implementation of the National Model had a range of positive benefits. - These included an increase in the total number of people being identified with vulnerabilities and an increase in relevant and timely information available to police, courts and partner agencies. New L&D support workers were seen as a strength of the National Model. - Support workers provided important 'hands-on' practical help to service users and supporting engagement and referrals. They also provided vital reassurance to service users in custody or in court and motivated them to accept support. Partnerships between police and L&D services were generally strong and the L&D service was valued in the custody suite. There were some schemes which faced implementation challenges. - These were mainly service user engagement and ensuring consistency in the quality of reports from the L&D service. Overall, the vast majority of stakeholders, across the range of partnership agencies, reported that the information provided by L&D services was useful. Details: Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2016. 157p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed July 23, 2016 at: http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR1200/RR1283/RAND_RR1283.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR1200/RR1283/RAND_RR1283.pdf Shelf Number: 139809 Keywords: Liaison ServicesMental Health CarePolice Custody SuitesSocial Services |
Author: Brooker, Stephen Title: Challenges to Providing Mental Health Care in Immigration Detention Summary: The global expansion of immigration detention systems creates an imperative for the mental health community to develop specialized models and practices of care. The harmful psychological effects of immigration detention and repeated findings that this practice results in breaches of human rights principles create a complex care setting. The authors employ lessons learned from their professional experiences in Australia, findings in specialized literature, and testimony from health workers and detainees to argue that immigration detention exhibits the qualities of an invalidating environment, wherein responses to a person’s emotional experiences are often inappropriate or inconsistent. In such settings the communication of emotional distress is generally ignored or responded to negatively with increasingly harsh responses that fail to address the cause of the distress. An invalidating environment promotes emotional and behavioural dysregulation, which is consistent with the experiences of many people held in immigration detention. Work by mental health professionals provides an important framework for understanding the corrosive nature of immigration detention and suggests a range of clinical approaches that may be adapted to assist in developing resilience to such settings. Details: Geneva, SWIT: Global Detention Project, 2016. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Global Detention Project Working Paper No. 19: Accessed December 16, 2016 at: https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/challenges-to-providing-mental-health-care-in-immigration-detention-global-detention-project-working-paper-no-19 Year: 2016 Country: International URL: https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/challenges-to-providing-mental-health-care-in-immigration-detention-global-detention-project-working-paper-no-19 Shelf Number: 140502 Keywords: Illegal Immigrants Immigrant Detention Immigration Detention Mental Health Care |
Author: University of Texas. Austin School of Law. Civil Rights Clinic Title: Preventable Tragedies: How to Reduce Mental Health-Related Deaths in Texas Jails Summary: The first section of this report tells the stories of ten tragic and preventable deaths in Texas jails. These ten people suffered from mental disorders and related health needs, and died unexpectedly in jail as a result of neglect or treatment failures. The second section of this report sets forth widely accepted policy recommendations based on national standards and best practices to improve diversion and treatment of persons with mental illness and related health needs who are incarcerated in Texas county jails. RECOMMENDATION NO. 1: INCREASE JAIL DIVERSION FOR LOW-RISK PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS. As state and local stakeholders develop pretrial diversion programs, they should ensure that mental illness is factored in, and not as a barrier to pretrial release. In addition, the Legislature and counties should find new ways to reduce warrants and arrests for low-level misdemeanors, to prevent the use of jails for low-risk arrestees. RECOMMENDATION NO. 2: IMPROVE SCREENING. As counties implement the revised mental health screening instrument, they should train correctional officers to recognize signs of mental illness and suicide risk, and explore partnerships with their local mental health authority (LMHA) to have mental health professionals from the LMHA assist with intake screening. RECOMMENDATION NO. 3: INCREASE COMPLIANCE WITH TEX. CODE CRIM. P. 16.22 AND 17.032. The legislature should clarify the law to increase compliance with the requirement that magistrates be notified of an arrestee's mental illness or suicide risk, so as to enable pretrial diversion into mental health treatment when appropriate. Counties should implement the law's requirements, using partnerships with LMHAs if needed. RECOMMENDATION NO. 4: STRENGTHEN SUICIDE PREVENTION. Counties should make their suicide prevention plans more effective by: (1) increasing training and promoting culture change; (2) providing for ongoing suicide risk assessment throughout an inmate's stay in the jail; (3) avoiding housing at-risk inmates alone; (4) designating suicide-resistant cells; and (5) having mental health professionals assist with the assessment of suicide risk. RECOMMENDATION NO. 5: COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES. County jails should form broad - and preferably formal - partnerships with their area LMHAs, and work to place LMHA staff in the jail full-time. The Legislature should fund LMHAs to add capacity to provide more services in jails. RECOMMENDATION NO. 6: BOLSTER FORMULARIES. County jails should promote continuity of mental health care by (1) including in their formulary the medications listed in the local mental health authority's formulary and (2) contracting with outside providers to quickly acquire any medication not kept in stock. RECOMMENDATION NO. 7: PROMOTE MEDICATION CONTINUITY. County jails should promote continuity of care by allowing inmates to continue taking prescribed medication that the inmate had been taking prior to booking, after taking certain precautions. Specifically, county jails should replace policies of denying access to prescribed medications with more flexible alternatives. RECOMMENDATION NO. 8: DEVELOP AND UPDATE DETOX PROTOCOLS. Each county jail's health service plan should include a detoxification protocol for supporting withdrawal from alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, and other commonly used substances, in conformance with current national standards. RECOMMENDATION NO. 9: ADD FORENSIC PEER SUPPORT. County jails should strengthen their mental health care services by implementing a forensic peer support program. RECOMMENDATION NO. 10: IMPROVE MONITORING. Counties should promote more effective monitoring of inmates by: (1) requiring jail staff to proactively engage inmates and take action during regular observation; (2) increasing the frequency of observation for at-risk inmates and setting irregular monitoring intervals; (3) ensuring adequate staffing; (4) using technology along with personal interaction to make observation more accountable; and (5) using technology to alert staff of inmate crises. RECOMMENDATION NO. 11: REDUCE THE USE OF RESTRAINT AND SECLUSION. County jails should (1) set an explicit goal to reduce the use of restraint and seclusion, with an eye toward eliminating them altogether; (2) abolish the most dangerous restraint and seclusion practices; and (3) train officers to reduce reliance on restraint and seclusion, and collect data to evaluate performance. The Texas Legislature should require stricter regulation of seclusion that mirrors its strict regulation of restraint. RECOMMENDATION NO. 12: LIMIT THE USE OF FORCE. County jails should strengthen their policies and training on use of force, explicitly address use of force against inmates with mental health needs, promote the goals of eliminating excessive use of force, and use force only as a last resort. Details: Austin: University of Texas School of law Civil Rights Clinic, 2016. 107p. Source: Internet Resources: Accessed May 6, 2017 at: https://law.utexas.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2016/11/2016-11-CVRC-Preventable-Tragedies.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://law.utexas.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2016/11/2016-11-CVRC-Preventable-Tragedies.pdf Shelf Number: 145336 Keywords: Deaths in Custody Jail InmatesMental Health CareMental Health ServicesMental Health TreatmentMentally Ill OffendersSuicides |
Author: Disability Rights New York Title: Report and Recommendations Concerning Attica Correctional Facility's Residential Mental Health Unit Summary: Disability Rights New York (DRNY) is the designated federal Protection and Advocacy System for individuals with disabilities in New York State. DRNY has broad authority under federal and state law to monitor conditions and investigate allegations of abuse or neglect occurring in any public or private facility, including state prisons. DRNY monitored and investigated Attica Correctional Facility's Residential Mental Health Unit (RMHU), one of several residential mental health treatment units (RMHTU). The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) operates segregated disciplinary confinement units called Special Housing Units (SHU) and Long-Term Keeplock Units. Individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness must be removed from SHU or LongTerm Keeplock and placed into a RMHTU. The RMHTUs are jointly operated by DOCCS and the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH). DRNY conducted a site visit and in-person interviews at Attica in August 2015, corresponded with incarcerated individuals from August 2015 through December 2016, reviewed security and mental health records and policies, and communicated with DOCCS and OMH executive staff. DRNY finds that DOCCS and OMH abused and neglected RMHU participants, and violated New York Correction Law provisions governing RMHTUs, collectively known as the SHU Exclusion Law. Specifically, DRNY finds DOCCS and OMH violated New York Correction Law - 2(21), 401(1), 401(2), and 401(6). 1. DOCCS and OMH neglected and abused RMHU participants by imposing cell shields in the RMHU without consideration of an individual's mental health condition and without clinical input by OMH, in violation of the SHU Exclusion Law. 2. DOCCS's regulations fail to require OMH clinical input and consideration of mental health status before issuing and when renewing cell shield orders, thereby violating the SHU Exclusion Law. 3. DOCCS's use of cell shields in the RMHU violates state regulations and due process by failing to justify implementation and continuation of cell shield orders. 4. DOCCS and OMH neglected and abused RMHU participants by failing to clinically assess their therapeutic needs prior to imposing programming restrictions, despite the requirement of the SHU Exclusion Law, and by failing to provide a safe environment. 5. DOCCS neglected RMHU participants and violated the SHU Exclusion Law by staffing the RMHU with SHU officers and other untrained staff. DOCCS continued to neglect individuals and violate the law by failing to correct the problem after notification by DRNY. 6. DOCCS and OMH neglected RMHU participants by providing "alternative therapy" cellside, including in some cases when participants are behind cell shields, thereby denying RMHU participants appropriate treatment. 7. DOCCS does not provide an adequate therapeutic setting for RMHU participants. DOCCS and OMH must take immediate action to ensure a therapeutic environment that is free from abuse and neglect. Details: Albany: Disability Rights New York, 2017. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 6, 2018 at: http://new.drny.org/docs/reports/attica-rmhu-report-9-12-2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://new.drny.org/docs/reports/attica-rmhu-report-9-12-2017.pdf Shelf Number: 149012 Keywords: Attica Correctional FacilityCorrectional HealthHealth CareMental Health CareMentally Ill InmatesPrison Health |