Ohio Governor, Mike DeWine, says that most of the places in Ohio’s psychiatric hospitals are taken by people sent by the courts. He thinks it’s not fair for people and their families who need help but have not committed a crime. They cannot get the help they need because of this.
DeWine wants to fix this problem. He wants to make more room in the hospitals and help prisoners in county jails get mental health services. He will soon appoint a group of skilled people to create a plan.
Why is there no space in Ohio’s psychiatric hospitals? Since the 1950s, Ohio and other states decided to close many hospitals. They promised to treat those patients in local facilities instead. But, Governor DeWine says they did not do this.
Also, Ohio closed two state hospitals in 2008. Now, only six state hospitals are open. DeWine says this is a problem not just in Ohio, but all over the country.
One in three prisoners in Ohio have a mental illness. The jails are forced to become places of treatment. After all, more people with mental illness are in local jails than ever before. Soldiers in the jail need to learn how to handle emergencies and how to treat prisoners better.
People need help after they leave jail, like secure housing and connection to services like Medicaid. Governor DeWine agrees with this and is looking into ways to get federal help to pay for prisoners’ medical costs.
Vocabulary List:
- Psychiatric (adjective): Related to the study and treatment of mental illness.
- Commit (verb): To carry out or perpetrate a crime or act of harm.
- Facilities (noun): Buildings, equipment, or services that are used for a specific purpose.
- Appoint (verb): To officially choose someone for a job or position.
- Promise (verb): To give one's word to do something or behave in a certain way.
- Handle (verb): To manage or deal with a situation, task, or person.
