Karen James and guest Joe Simich, Washington County Community Corrections Probation Supervisor, discuss Re-entry and Mental Health.
People with mental illness are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. Statistics show that more than half of those incarcerated have a mental or emotional issue and many also have an addiction. The majority of people with mental illness who are incarcerated are low-level, nonviolent offenders who ended up in jail or prison because they essentially exhibited in public the symptoms of untreated mental illness.
After these people serve their time and reenter their communities, their sentence continues. They are not only faced with the daily complexities of reentering society and adhering to the conditions of parole. They are also faced with homelessness, inadequate mental health treatment, a gutted health care system, disruption in medication and overall lack of support.
Washington County NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) has formed an Action Team that meets monthly to address the challenges and improve services for those re-entering the County from jail or prison. To join contact NAMI at 503.356.6835.
- KBOO