Key mental health services could reduce jail time, reduce suicides

MSU Today with Russ White

A recently published study found that one in five U.S. adults who die by suicide spent at least one night in jail in the year prior to their death. Rapidly and efficiently providing prevention, screening and outreach resources for this group is critical to reducing adult suicides nationwide.

And counties could save money and keep more people out of jail by improving access to community-based mental health and substance use disorder services.

Jennifer Johnson is founding chair of the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health at Michigan State University and an author of the studies.

Dalin Clark from MSU Health Sciences joins the conversation.

Conversation Highlights:

(0:41) – Dr. Johnson frames the issue.

(2:18) – How do we identify people at risk, and how do we help them?

(4:50) – What’s the difference between going to jail and going to prison?

(6:24) – And sometimes people go to jail for reasons that aren’t necessarily criminal, right?

(10:54) – How many people are we talking about?

(14:17) – How can the average person help?

(17:05) – How is 988 working?

(20:27) – What’s ahead? Where do we go from here? - The National Center for Health and Justice Integration for Suicide Prevention (NCHATS).

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