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Q&A
Challenges and efforts in transferring individuals with SMI out of Rikers
3:14:53
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62 sec
Jeanette Merrill from Correctional Health Services (CHS) discusses the challenges and efforts involved in transferring individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) out of Rikers Island.
- There is a waitlist for state Office of Mental Health beds, with 186 people currently waiting on Rikers
- The state has recently opened additional psychiatric beds
- There's a proposal for jail-based restoration services in PACE units or outposted units, pending state approval
- CHS has a clinical court advocacy team to assist the Defense Bar
- CHS provides information to attorneys about patients with SMI, with patient consent
- Ultimately, courts need to be amenable to releasing people, involving both defense and prosecution
Jeanette Merrill
3:14:53
Sure.
3:14:53
So I'll go back to start with the seven thirty population that you mentioned earlier.
3:14:57
So there is a wait for state office of mental health beds.
3:15:02
So I think we currently have one hundred and eighty six people who have been found unfit to proceed with trial who are waiting on Rikers.
3:15:09
So I understand that the state has recently opened up additional psychiatric beds.
3:15:14
We also have a state proposal actually to provide jail based restoration services in PACE units or potentially in outposted units but that requires a state change.
3:15:26
In terms of patients who have mental health needs, serious mental illness, we do have a clinical court advocacy team that serves as a resource to Defense Bar and we also provide information to attorneys about our patients with patient consent, patients who have serious mental illness, but of course it's up to the courts.
3:15:46
Courts need to be amenable to release people and so ultimately you know that is for defense and prosecution.
Tiffany Cabán
3:15:54
Thank you.