Mental health care in prison is sorely lacking in the United States. In this blog, we’re going to discuss this topic further. We recognize that this topic could be triggering for some or difficult to talk about, so please let us know if you’d prefer to discuss this topic with a member of our team.
Mental Health Options in Prison
Those who are incarcerated need better access to mental health care. It’s that simple (and yet we’re not trying to minimize this incredibly complicated and complex topic).
The extremely unfortunate reality is that people who are incarcerated do not have great access to mental health services. While this can vary and there may be some places that do provide quality mental health care, it’s certainly not something that’s offered or provided in every prison setting.
Statistics have shown that many prisoners struggle with mental health, so why isn’t it more prevalently cared for in our prisons?
Funding
One of the saddest parts of this topic is that funding is a large barrier to making sure that prisoners have adequate mental health care. If more funding existed, then more people could receive services and work towards their mental health goals with a trained professional.
More funding is a necessary component for many things, but it’s truly needed in the prison system with regard to the mental health services that are currently available.
Stigma
There is still a lot of stigma surrounding those who are incarcerated. This likely also plays a role in why the US prison system needs better mental health care. Stigma is something that can be incredibly damaging and dangerous. At Avalon Malibu, we believe that we need to reduce stigma by providing education and having meaningful conversations. If you’d like to speak with a member of our Avalon Malibu team about how you can reduce stigma in your community, feel free to give us a call.
We’re dedicated to providing information and education about various mental health topics. If you’d like to discuss mental health care in prison with a member of our team, you can give us a call at (844) 857-5992. We’ll try our best to answer any questions you may have and point you in the right direction. We also love sharing about our services and helping people decide if it could be the right fit for them and their own individual mental health journey.
