Dartmouth Health is hosting a mental health webinar series. “The goal of this year-long series is to help change the conversation about mental health and end the stigma associated with it,” said Audra Burns of Dartmouth Health. A recent panel discussed how mental health manifests itself throughout the criminal justice system. They say a lot of criminal behavior stems from childhood trauma, abuse and neglect, even beginning with children in the foster care system. “They have a lot of trauma in their history,” said Samantha Morin, a child forensic psychologist at Dartmouth Health. “So we have a lot of abuse, a lot of neglect, a lot of trauma reactivity that maybe contributes to some of the behaviors that led to them being placed with us.” All officials agree that the way our prison system is set up does not address mental health issues. “We’ve used our prisons in our country as mental health facilities, which we shouldn’t be,” said Franklin, NH Police Chief David Goldstein, who is also a behavioral scientist. “That’s not what they were meant for. That’s not what they were designed for. That’s not what they were built for. But that’s what they are. Joseph Lascaze of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire agrees that the justice system was not designed for the mental health issues it faces today. “The correctional system has become the number one place to treat people who are experiencing a mental health issue, and it’s not really the environment where they should be treated,” Lascaze said. Work is underway in New Hampshire to try to address mental health treatment outside of prison. “We need to stop using the prison system as a treatment center,” Lascaze said. “We should also focus our resources on people who require a different level of care, rehabilitation in community safety, while addressing alternatives to incarceration as a whole.” Across the river in Vermont, the Department of Corrections is taking steps to help improve the mental health of inmates and prison guards. Commissioner Nicholas Deml said after the pandemic this is more important than ever. “We’ve shifted all of our training to become trauma-informed training that addresses mental and emotional health needs,” Deml said. “We’re trying to roll out new programs that really meet the emotional and mental health needs of the people in our care.” They try to be dynamic to meet the needs of the new people brought into their establishments. “We are more sensitive to people’s needs as they come in,” Deml said. “And as these trends evolve, we evolve with them to better meet the needs of the people we care for.” more information, or to watch the entire webinar, visit the Dartmouth Health website.
Dartmouth Health is hosting a mental health webinar series.
“The goal of this year-long series is to help change the conversation about mental health and end the stigma associated with it,” said Audra Burns of Dartmouth Health.
A recent panel discussed how mental health manifests itself throughout the criminal justice system.
They say a lot of criminal behavior stems from childhood trauma, abuse and neglect, even beginning with children in the foster care system.
“They have a lot of trauma in their history,” said Samantha Morin, a child forensic psychologist at Dartmouth Health. “So we have a lot of abuse, a lot of neglect, a lot of trauma reactivity that maybe contributes to some of the behaviors that led to them being placed with us.”
All officials agree that the way our prison system is organized does not address mental health issues.
“We’ve used our prisons in our country as mental health facilities, which we shouldn’t be,” said Franklin, NH Police Chief David Goldstein, who is also a behavioral scientist. “That’s not what they were meant for. That’s not what they were designed for. That’s not what they were built for. But that’s what they are.
Joseph Lascaze of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire agrees that the justice system was not designed for the mental health issues it faces today.
“The corrections system has become the number one place to treat people who are experiencing a mental health issue, and it’s not really the environment where they should be treated,” Lascaze said.
Work is underway in New Hampshire to try to address mental health issues outside of prison.
“We need to stop using the prison system as a treatment center,” Lascaze said. “We should also focus our resources on people who require a different level of care, rehabilitation in community safety, while addressing alternatives to incarceration as a whole.”
Across the river in Vermont, the Department of Corrections is taking steps to help improve the mental health of inmates and prison guards. Commissioner Nicholas Deml said after the pandemic this is more important than ever.
“We’ve shifted all of our training to become trauma-informed training that addresses mental and emotional health needs,” Deml said. “We’re trying to roll out new programs that really meet the emotional and mental health needs of the people in our care.”
They try to be dynamic to meet the needs of the new people brought into their establishments.
“We’re more responsive to people’s needs as they come in,” Deml said. “And as these trends evolve, we evolve with them to better meet the needs of the people we care for.”
For more information or to watch the entire webinar, visit the Dartmouth Health website.
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