It is hard to understand…
How someone who had suicidal ideations on February 28, 2023…while at South Woods Prison…
Has requested to see the mental health team at The New Jersey State Prison…several times since then…
And there has been no response.
How is this possible? When an inmate submits a request for the mental health/psychiatry team, what happens? That person is just ignored? Is that your “best practice?” In my world, and I’m sure yours, “best practice” for someone that has major depression means immediately taking notice when that person requests a mental health consult.
https://ubhc.rutgers.edu is the entity that oversees the mental health care at the prisons.
They boast on their site that:
There is healing through compassion and world class science
They fuel innovation and discovery to advance mental health
and last but certainly not least…..
They are promoting practices founded on research and real-world expertise!
Reading this is such a contrast to what actually occurs in the NJ prison medical world based on my son’s experience. These words are wonderful and sound great…and the prisons present a real chance to help so many people with mental health challenges. So take advantage and really put these words into practice, with compassion at the forefront.
Back to the problem…
So if that person happens to kill themselves after submitting a request to meet with mental health and they ignored that person’s request, who should be held responsible?
Certainly not the person who killed themselves.
With compassion for all of the inmates who are suffering,
Susan Guardia
