Editorial: Bill to overhaul competency system will improve mental health safety net

Colorado’s Mental Health Crisis and the Need for Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

It is nothing new to say that Colorado is facing a mental health care crisis. Last summer we wrote about a 13-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder who was abandoned at a local hospital for weeks without help or care from state or county agencies. Before that, we highlighted how law enforcement officers are often tasked with assisting those having mental or behavioral health crises, despite having minimal training to do so. (The result, of course, is an often deadly encounter.) And late last year the Denver Post published a damning indictment of Colorado’s mental health system.

The Impact of Mental Health Issues in the Criminal Justice System

Of Colorado’s state and federal prison population of 17,000, it is estimated that nearly 40% have a mental or behavioral health issue. One 2019 report had that figure even higher, noting that about 10,700 incarcerated individuals in Colorado were suffering from a mental health issue. For those in a city or county jail, the numbers are even higher, about 44%, meaning nearly half of the populations of our jails might be better helped elsewhere.

Human Rights and the Dignity of Individuals

The critical issue here is one of human rights and the dignity of our fellow citizens. Jails and prisons are hostile, punitive places and we as a society should be striving to put an end to our prison industrial complex, which is fundamentally broken.

The Negative Impact of Incarceration on Mental Health

But more to the point in this case, jails and prisons are not designed to help those with mental and behavioral health issues. In fact, incarceration quite typically exacerbates mental health issues.

The Importance of Early Intervention and Holistic Mental Health Care

This is important for two reasons. First, individuals with mental health issues should be getting help before they enter the criminal justice system, thus easing the burden on the criminal justice system. And second, if someone with a mental health issue is put behind bars and their underlying issues are not treated, it is extremely unlikely that they will be able to return to society as a healthy, productive individual. Which is to say, they will likely recidivate.

Proposed Solutions

A Continuum of Care

Fixing this ailing system, in the words of State Rep. Judy Amabile, will require a continuum of care.

Investments in Infrastructure and Staff

Our primary goal, Amabile explained in a recent interview, should of course be to catch people before they fall into the system. Doing so will take major investments to build up the infrastructure and staff needed to build an adequate safety net. We will need more beds in inpatient facilities, more outpatient facilities, more community partners, more care coordinators — more everything.

Fundamental Alterations in Handling Individuals with Mental and Behavioral Health Issues in the Criminal Justice System

But, in the meantime, as we work toward building the momentum to galvanize investment in this more compassionate future, we need to fundamentally alter how we handle individuals with mental and behavioral health issues who do wind up in the criminal justice system.

HB24-1355: Updating the Competency System

A good start is Amabile’s new bill at the state Legislature, HB24-1355, which seeks to update our competency system.

The Bridges Wraparound Care Program

To facilitate treatment, the bill would create the Bridges Wraparound Care Program within the Office of the Statewide Behavioral Health Court Liaison to connect participants with comprehensive mental health care through existing service providers.

Public Safety and Diversion Programs

HB 1355 aims to tackle this issue by diverting incompetent defendants out of the criminal justice system altogether. Under the measure, when a defendant’s competency is in question, prosecutors and defense attorneys could agree to put the prosecution on hold and send the defendant into a six-month program aimed at stabilizing the individual. Defendants who successfully complete the six-month program could have their charges dismissed. But failing to comply with treatment could mean returning to jail and facing prosecution.

A Step in the Right Direction

“The bottom line is that this is a public safety measure,” Rep. Amabile said. “What we’re doing now where people are cycling (through the criminal justice system) isn’t making us safer. It’s making us less safe. If we can get people into actual treatment for their disease, then we can stop them from cycling. And that, in the long run, will cost a lot less money, and it will help our public safety problem.”

Conclusion

As we strive to continue building a continuum of care for those most vulnerable among us, preventing individuals with mental and behavioral health issues from cycling through our criminal justice system will prevent our jails and prisons from having to serve as inpatient mental health facilities, it will help increase public safety, and it will reduce our incarcerated population. HB 1355 is a long overdue step toward progress.

— Gary Garrison for the Editorial Board

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
   • Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease.
   • Indicator 3.4.2: Suicide mortality rate.

2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
   • Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and disability.
   • Indicator 10.2.2: Proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.

3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
   • Indicator 16.3.1: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms.
   • Indicator 16.3.2: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are:
– Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
– Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
– Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. These indicators include:
– Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease.
– Indicator 3.4.2: Suicide mortality rate.
– Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and disability.
– Indicator 10.2.2: Proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions.
– Indicator 16.3.1: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms.
– Indicator 16.3.2: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population.

These indicators can be used to measure progress towards reducing premature mortality, promoting mental health and well-being, reducing inequalities, and ensuring equal access to justice.

By analyzing the article and referring to specific information, the relevant SDGs, targets, and indicators have been identified. The table presents a clear overview of these findings.

Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

Fuente: dailycamera.com

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