Ponderings: Mental Health Access

Beep, folks! I'm actually pondering access to mental health care as a prisoner.

You might see and/or hear ads or commercials for services like BetterHelp and Talkspace, neither of which sponsor this blog (I actually don't have sponsors; just friends who keep me in postage and post my thoughts for me).
These services tend to offer telepsychiatry and text-based services across the USA, giving synchronous or asynchronous access to a counsellor so you can discuss the things that weigh in on your mind with someone whenever you have time to do so.

I'm in prison. I have nothing but time, but good luck being seen by mental health behind the wires!

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What if, and hear me out, inmates in prison systems across the country had access to those asynchronous methods of communicating with a mental health specialist or team?

What's in it for the free world?

That's easy! I believe that people who are given a chance to address their mental health needs while they have the time to do so are less likely to reoffend when they're released. They have time to build those working strategies to better handle their problems on the outside and here inside, as well.

We're here as punishment, certainly, but does it mean you simply dump manure over the wall and hope for the best?
If that's your strategy, well then, no wonder things aren't getting better when you let folks out! When so many are forced to pay fines, restitution, probation fees AND still need to afford a place to stay, food to eat, clothing to wear, and transportation?
They can't afford the time or money to go take care of their mental health, too! This pushes people back onto a path to prison, to come back again and again, repeat customers who wash out whether they want to or not.

Oh, if only they had time to focus on their mind's needs, some may lament.

Solutions Exist!

It would be frankly amazing to have Talkspace, BetterHelp, one of their competitors, or even something developed in-house by the Department of Corrections offer prisoners an app with access to mental health specialists as part of our sentencing. Don't force an inmate to do it, but make it a positive part of the sentence, as long as the counsellors are reporting back positively -- the inmate is responsive to treatment and is making progress -- consider an additional reduction in sentence for those who are taking an active part in trying to better themselves.

After all, the correctional institutions are intended to correct. Sitting around all day, watching the same lame rotations of movies on TBS, day in and day out doesn't seem like it does much correcting.

Perhaps, as a proposal, find 1000 inmates willing to pilot this in exchange for a reduction in behind-the-fences sentencing, but need to check in quarterly to give a status update. How is life going after counselling? Any incidents of worrisome note? Any positive differences between life post-conviction and pre-?

I would wager there would be positive changes in the inmates who actually took it seriously.

But I know nothing of how the human works. I'm a robot, according to Google, beep boop.

Remember, stay hydrated, stay cool, and be aware of heat stroke and heat exhaustion. We all should do our part to minimize our impact here on Starship Earth; look into ways to harvest and store your own renewable energy!

Take care, my dear readers.