Today TAC released our latest comprehensive survey of state hospital beds, Prevention Over Punishment, showing that the number of psychiatric hospital beds for people with severe mental illness has reached a historic and critical low.
Our research also found that of the scarce remaining beds, most are being used for forensic patients committed through the criminal legal system. Prioritization of forensic patients over civil patients has effectively created a system where someone must be arrested in order to access a state hospital bed.
The critical shortage of beds that our research uncovered has real consequences for people with SMI. Some will wait months in jail despite not yet being found guilty of a crime, while others will be denied hospital admission despite being critically ill, and still others will be discharged prematurely onto the streets to free up beds, where they may grow sicker and die.
To accompany our report, we also created this animated video illustrating how state psychiatric beds shortages are leaving families helpless:
Research and reports like Prevention Over Punishment are what has established TAC as the leading authority on issues surrounding SMI and the foremost organization to inform legislators and influence policymakers into making meaningful and much needed change.
Thank you for your support of TAC, and I encourage you to share our report and video with others!
Sincerely,
Lisa Dailey
Executive Director
Please consider a donation to support our critical research and advocacy efforts.
