“I want to see firsthand the
mental health unit”
She was involved in an argument, her body language yelled intensity, anger
She moves her hands to illustrate
the point
She doesn't notice me or the
sweat that drips from my forehead
I watch quietly, she gets louder
and more animated.
There is no denying the
importance of her position.
A tear dripped from the corner of
my eye and mixed with the sweat running down the side of my face.
She never noticed me
and her wall
never told its side of the story
My undershirt stuck to my back.
The heat was sweltering and the air was still and stale.
Coloring book pages hung on the
walls like fliers for lost daughters, mothers, sisters.
I left
the unit with a level of discomfort, sadness and anger. I am not naive to the
understanding that some of these women have possibly done things which warrant
their removal from society, however housing the mentally ill in a prison has
unfortunately become acceptable practice. I have heard and understand both
sides of the argument. I know with out a doubt they are in an environment which is
possibly safer than the one they came from; safer for others and most
importantly safer for them. As society continues to slash funding for community
based mental health services, more and more individuals with mental health
disorders are being processed into jails and prisons.
How are we providing appropriate
treatment and services?
Or does anyone care?
for my friend Sheri and all the treatment professionals who work inside prisons and jails...thank you for everything you do!
B
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