Justice-Involvement and Access to Mental Health Care

Barriers to mental health treatment are underscored in the justice-involved (JI) population, which faces multiple stigma and greater social and economic disadvantage. Indeed, some have suggested that greater access to community treatment may prevent re-arrest. By analyzing the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the impact of JI status on probability of various barriers to mental health treatment was assessed. Results indicated that justice-involvement, especially in the past year, was related to a higher error rate in perceiving mental health issues. However, JI status was generally related to a lower likelihood of reporting any particular barrier. Recommendations include an emphasis on the system response, including provision of mental health education, legislative reform, and funding community treatment options.