Bill that sets standards for how Virginia jails treat inmates with mental illness on governor's desk
Virginian-PilotMar 03, 2019
Sparked by the 2015 death of Jamycheal Mitchell in the
"We are hopeful to divert many with mental illness out of the criminal justice system," said Del.
Mitchell wasted away in an isolated jail cell with feces on the walls and urine on the floor. He had been arrested for stealing
A recent report from
The bill came out of work done by the
The bill was designed to prevent what happened to Mitchell from happening again, Bell said.
"Some jails could see it as an unfunded mandate and that is a concern, but ... these people in jail need services," Jones said. "We've been asking for this for a long time, and we know it costs money. Nothing is free, and we support it. It's got to be done."
Developing standards for treatment in jails is long overdue, said
"Jail exacerbates mental illness. The goal is clarifying who can receive information on a person's mental illness and maintaining a continuity of care," she said. "The Mitchell case was a tragedy that opened a window to discuss all this."
The standards for treatment will be created by the state
Two of the biggest problems people with mental illness face after arrest is jailers not knowing the inmates' diagnosis and medical history when they arrive at the jail and having nowhere to go when they leave.
The ability to obtain medical records and a requirement to provide a plan after an inmate's discharge help close those gaps.
"It's good to standardize it and hold everyone to a certain level in
Bell said this is a step in the right direction but that Deeds commission isn't finished. The push for better mental healthcare in
"This is about as nonpartisan an issue as you can find," he said.
It's an important step, Deeds said.
"The reality is that in a democracy, change is incremental at best," he said. "This was an important step to get uniform standards of care. We need to take additional steps to make sure we provide the necessary care."
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