The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Advisory Committee for Women’s Services released a new report, which demonstrates that 18 to 49 year old women on probation or parole have an almost two-fold higher risk of experiencing mental illness compared with other women. The study demonstrated that nearly half of the women in this age range who were on probation (49.4%) and over half who were on parole (54.2%) in the past year had suffered some kind of mental illness, compared with 27.5% of women who were not on parole or on probation.
SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde declared:
“This report highlights the very real need for providing better behavioral healthcare for women emerging from the criminal justice system. Providing these services not only meets a vital public health need, but is a very sound investment since it can prevent many at-risk women from returning to the criminal justice system.
Since women play a vital role in families, schools, business, and government, the recovery of women to productive lives can have an enormous positive impact on America’s communities.”
Furthermore, the study revealed that serious mental illness rates, defined as significantly limiting major life activities, tended to be two to three times higher for females who were on probation (21.5%) or on parole (28.5%) as compared with women who had not (7.8%).
Studies have demonstrated that women, whose mental health problems remained untreated in the criminal justice system, had greater problems reintegrating into their families and communities; they also tended to be at a higher risk of re-offending than those without mental health problems.
Adults with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders at any points of contact with the justice system can rely on SAMHSA, that offers support through its SAMHSA GAINS Center. The main focus of the center is to expand access to community based services for these particular adults by providing technical assistance in terms of Adult Treatment Court Collaboratives and Jail Diversion Trauma Recovery programs. The center also has a special section of resources, which are specifically designed to help women involved with the criminal justice system.
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Written by Petra Rattue