"Treatment for the Mentally Ill in Jail"

"In 1998 the nation's jails and prisons housed 283,800 mentally ill inmates - one of every six persons incarcerated. An additional 547,800 were on probation. These are high numbers that demand action.

The grim count comes from a new report - the Justice Department's first comprehensive look at mental illness in correctional facilities.

With jails catching some of the spillover from closed hospitals, the numbers show distressing trends. More than other convicts, mentally ill inmates have been hit hard by homelessness, unemployment, and substance abuse. They have higher rates of reported physical and sexual abuse in their past. And the statistics suggest that they are more likely to commit violent crimes, be repeat offenders, and serve longer sentences.

Solutions exist. One approach of Massachusetts correction and mental health officials is better discharge planning. Forensic coordinators help mentally ill inmates - about 7 percent of the prison population here - go back to public life.

Another needed step is to expand state agencies' one-stop-shopping capacity. Marylou Sudders, commissioner of the Department of Mental Health, would like to build stronger relations with the Massachusetts Parole Board to help those who are leaving jail and with the Department of Youth Services to try to prevent young adults with mental illnesses from becoming adult criminals.

'Discharge planning shold start from day one,' says Representative Kay Khan of Newton, sponsor of several bills that would improve mental health care incorrectional facilities. Enhanced partnerships with police departments could also help, since officers often deal with the mentally ill.

Officials are also trying to meet the recommendations of the Salvi report. It was written after a mentally ill John Salvi, who had fatally shot two abortion clinic workers, killed himself in prison. Among the recommendations was hiring more psychiatric staff. But good ideas are meaningless without funding. Unfortunately, the Department of Mental Health has been level-funded.

Prisons aren't meant to dispense mental health care, but they must meet the great need for it."