PROVIDENCE – The Mental Health Association of Rhode Island’s series of virtual meetings pushing for an Olmstead plan for Rhode Island continues on Wednesday, Oct. 28, with a virtual town hall.
The event, titled “Integration for All: The Criminalization of Mental Illness,” will feature a panel of mental health experts based in the Ocean State.
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Olmstead plans are named after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on states’ legal obligation to make it possible for people with disabilities to have access to services, live and work in an integrated setting. Such a plan would provide “the framework through which a state intends to comply with this legal obligation,” the mental health association says.
According to the organization, about 400 to 530, or 15% to 20%, of prison inmates in Rhode Island have serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or substance use disorder.
“Of those people, many do not have permanent housing or other supports,” a statement from the mental health association reads. “Untreated, symptoms of mental illness led them into the criminal justice system. Most are incarcerated for minor offenses or probation violations like missing an appointment.”
Panelists for the upcoming event, which starts at 5 p.m., include:
- Dr. Christine Montross, local psychiatrist and author of the book, “Waiting for an Echo: The Madness of American Incarceration”
- Megan Clingham, Office of the Mental Health Advocate
- Sarah Martino, Lifespan Corp.’s Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights
- Nick Horton, OpenDoors Rhode Island
- Brenda McClain, OpenDoors Rhode Island
To register, visit us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register.
Elizabeth Graham is a PBN contributing writer.
