Specific Needs of Women Diagnosed With Mental Illnesses in U.S. Jails (From Women's Mental Health Services: A Public Health Perspective, P 368-389, 1998, Bruce Lubotsky Levin, Andrea K Blanch, et. al., eds)

• NCJ Number: 174816
• Author(s): B M Veysey
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 22 pages
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Women diagnosed with mental illnesses are typically underserved in correctional settings in all types of jail programming; services for women, including mental health and substance abuse services, tend to be based on models designed for the male population.

Abstract

Even though corrections and health care staff in jails are often trained to recognize symptoms of psychotic disorders and suicide risk, many of the psychiatric and emotional problems of women are not so easily recognized and there is a significant risk women who have serious mental health problems may not be identified. More importantly, some psychiatric disorders such as post-trauma stress and anxiety disorders are likely to increase the risk women may become management problems for security staff and may inappropriately use expensive medical and psychiatric services they would not otherwise require. Because women represent a small proportion of jail populations, many facilities do not provide a full range of mental health services or appropriate housing options for female detainees. Further, mental health services offered to women are often based on the needs of men, including criteria used in screening and psychiatric evaluations, the use of psychotropic medications, and specialized housing. In addition to symptoms related to serious mental illnesses, many female detainees have substantial emotional difficulties related to separation from children, guilt and shame, confinement conditions, and self-esteem. If these issues are addressed, women are more likely to be willing to engage in treatment services, cooperate in their adjudication process, and be less difficult to supervise. To achieve parity, jail programming must provide women with access to the same medical, mental health, substance abuse, and other services available to men and must modify or expand these services to address the specific needs of women. The prevalence of substance abuse among female inmates diagnosed with mental illnesses is discussed, issues related to pregnancy and child care are addressed, and the importance of parity in services for female inmates is emphasized. Factors that must be considered in addressing the special needs of female inmates diagnosed with mental illnesses in correctional settings are identified. 25 footnotes and 2 tables