News and Commentary from the  Treatment Advocacy Center March 2020 Below is a summary of recent developments and compelling stories from news outlets across the country that help to highlight America's broken mental health treatment system, and ways we can help fix it.

Covid-19 & Mental Illness

Social Distancing and Mental Health Mental health care workers in Maine are preparing themselves for the effects that social distancing is going to have on their clients. Psychiatrists are seeing an increase in demand for services over time. Jim LaPierre, a licensed clinical social worker and the executive and clinical director of Higher Ground Services in Brewer says "Folks are scared. They have every reason to be, but how we cope with fear is really paramount to our mental health in general." Though social distancing is required to slow the spread of Covid-19, it will have lasting repercussions for many. Read the rest of the article here.

The Complications of Covid-19 while being Homeless The Washington Post shared the story of Monica Garcia, the manager of outreach at the San Antonio homeless shelter Haven For Hope. About one third of the homeless people Monica encounters are mentally ill. The people Monica serves are already an at risk population but, Covid-19 poses unique additional threats to the homeless population. Read more here.

Laying off Mental Health Crisis teams during this unprecedented time A treatment center is Duluth, Minnesota recently laid off their after-hours and weekend in-person mental health crisis team. These layoffs largely had to do with the inability to find a way to keep in person service employees safe with the new Covid-19 risks. Gary Fuerstenberg, a man that receives services at the treatment center said “I am completely cut off from any kind of support, nurses can’t see me. Psychological nurses can’t see me. Case managers can’t see me. ARMHS (Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Service) workers can’t see me. I am alone.” While this story takes place in Minnesota but, the cutting back of mental health care resources is happening across the country. Read the article here.

TAC in the News

How ThriveNYC Can Make a Difference TAC Executive Director, John Snook gave his recommendations on how Thrive NYC can maximize its potential to help those most in need. Snook has previously critiqued ThriveNYC for giving unproven feel good solutions and not addressing the real issues on the streets. Like all states, New York has a severe bed shortage and their police are used as mental health crisis workers. Snook says he is "heartened" to see the Mayor listening to experts and that the new approach will streamline the process for those with serious mental illness. Read John Snook's recommendations here.

Why Erie County Should Implement it's AOT Law TAC Policy Advisor, Betsy Johnson recently had a letter to the editor in the Erie-Times News discussing why it's time for Erie county and Pennsylvania as whole to implement their AOT law. Pennsylvania passed their AOT law in October of 2018 yet, not a single county has implemented the law. Johnson highlights the many positives of using AOT even citing the Department of Justice deeming "AOT an evidence-based practice that reduces crime and violence", but county officials would rather make excuses. Read Johnson's letter here.

RESEARCH WEEKLY: March Recap   DATAPOINT of the month  555,000 inmates in correctional institutions in the United States who have not been convicted or sentenced for a crime.  According to the Prison Policy Initiative, who releases an annual state of incarceration, there are more than 555,000 pretrial inmates in correctional institutions in the United States. Pretrial inmates are people who are incarcerated but have not yet been convicted or sentenced of a crime. “As advocates urge prisons and jails to slow the spread of COVID-19 by releasing as many incarcerated people as possible, it's more important than ever to understand how many people are locked up across the country, where, and why,” Pete Wagner, the study author writes.  If you are interested in reading the research highlights from this month you can click here To receive Research Weekly directly in your email inbox on a weekly basis, click here.

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