Recours collectif contre les services correctionnels du Canada

Arlene Gallone vient d'obtenir la permission de demander une compensation pour tous les prisonniers qui ont été isolés pour plus de 72 heures durant les 3 dernieres années.  Pendant son séjour de 9 mois à la prison de Joliette, elle a subi deux fois un isolement de 3 mois.  Le juge ontarien qui a donné le feu vert au recours collectif a critiqué les soins de santé (y compris de santé mentale) et la ségrégation abusive.  La fermeture de la prison Tanguay pour les femmes a entrainé la nouvelle vocation d'une section de la prison Leclerc qui est désormais réservée prisonnières.  La compensation demandée est de 10,000 $.  L'avocate qui pilote le dossier est Clara Poissant-Lespérance.  8300 prisonniers ont été isolés en 2014-2015 selon Howard Sappers.

USA:land of freedom or prisoners?

There are 49,000 prisoners serving a life sentence in the US.  The incarceration rate is 707 prisoners per 100,000 population.  In Russia it is 474, in the UK it is 148 and in Canada it is 118 (per 100,000).  The incarceration rate is therefore 6 times greater in the USA than in Canada.  Parole supervision is extended to 480per 100,000 in Canada; in the USA it is 5 times greater at 2400.
There are 220,000 prisoners in federal prisons, mostly for major crimes, 1,360,000 prisoners in state prisons and 730,000 in local jails (mostly waiting for their trial).  The total is trerefore 2,300,000 prisoners in the USA!  The worst states are Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississipi and Alabama.
It wasn't always like this.  The incarceration rate for drug offences is 10 times what it was 30 years ago.  Minimum sentencing rules, 3 strikes and you are out! sentences judges and procecuters elected by a worried public have all contributed to increasing the prison population.  The National center on addiction and substance abuse poll reveals that 2/3 of prisoners have a drug problem but only 1/9 of them have found help.
Teaching activities have been squeezed out of budgets.  New York and California are cuting populations by freeing prisoners early.  It has been demonstrated that social workers helping the transition out of prison (does he have a social security number? helpful family? a realistic view of the labor market?) is a cost effective way of preventing prisoners from being sent back to prison. The Michigan prisoner re-entry initiative has been a success : prisoners are released early and receive help in the transition to freedom.

Housing first ; a winning approach

The At home/chez soi housing first approach was given a 110,000,000$ - 5 year budget by the federal mental health agency.  5 teams were deployed : in Moncton, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver.  The 1158 patients selected for the program were assigned to assertive community treatment(those with the highest needs) or intensive case management (those with more moderate needs).  All had a mental health need and 90% of them had another physical health need.  A good presentation of the project is available by the NFB "Here at home" movie.  Costs are estimated at 22,000$ per person per year in ACT, and 14,000$ per person per year in ICM.
The usual model of treatment involves a gradual shift from the street to shelter to temporary housing to permanent housing.   With the housing first approach, we go from the street to an independent appartment with the Agency garanteeing the rent.  If that doesn't work (maybe he invites his friends at drug parties at his place, for example) then a supervised appartment is the next step.
A training team has been established and now 61 communities are going ahead.  The Fraser valley has 6 or7 teams reporting great results.  Waterloo distributes rent subsidies.  Ontario and the United States federal government have had rent subsidies for the mentally ill for a long time.  In Montreal 2 of 3 teams were disbanded but one is still active.  The positive results of the project will justify its expanding out!

Recent publications

How can I help?  by Dr David Goldbloom
Open heart open mind  by athlete Clara Hugues
I am Brian Wilson - a memoir
Blackout: remembering the things i drank to forget
Waiting for first light by ret. gen. Romeo Dallaire
My heart can't even beleive it written by the mother of a mongol child
Better now : 6 big ideas to improve health care, by Lionel Desmond
May 2018 update:
Insane consequences : How the mental health industry fails the mentally ill, by DJ Jaffe

Is a confrontation likely between doctors and the province?

The doctors have agreed to no longer charge for ophtalmic drops and similar office expences.  But they draw the line when it comes to expensive scanner equipment.  Hospitals are not equiped to handle the demand from the general population.  Doctors are willing to purchase equipment providing that their fees reflect this major expense.  Procedures like vasectomies generally involved a fee from the patient.  To protest the situation, doctors are refusing to schedule some procedures.  Who will win?

Homeless montreal man shot by police

Jimmy Cloutier was near the Old Brewery Mission where he was sheltered when the police intervened.  The 38 year-old man was in and out of sheltersfor the last 11 years.  He had a knive.

Coming events and conferences 2017

AMI-Quebec (action on mental illness) is the main community service point for Montreal's anglo community.  Their calendar can be consulted at www.amiquebec.org . You will notice that they have meetings for the family on some wednesday evenings at 598 Bellevue North, Greenfield Park.  There is also Friends for mental health Dorval.  If you can understand French, you should consult my main website at www.schizomonteregie.blogspot.com . APAMM-RS, the association for family and friends of the mentally ill for Montreal's South shore organizes several conferences at 7PM, prior registration is required: feb7:Borderline P D, feb 13 wills and mandates, march 16 : guilt feelings, april 18 : Emotions, May 25: Too close or too far from my ill relative?, 12 june: OCD, Those conferences are in French.

JUNE 2017

Exhibition at Georges d'Or library, Longueuil, until 12thofJune.  Artifacts by participants of our PIS-J'EMBARQUE program for welfare recipients who participate in our art workshop. Items are for sale.

APRIL 2017

tuesday 11 Financial planning with Alain Théroux, at 1 Curé Poirier, longueuil, 5$ for non-members of CSSM-M (450-677-4347) presentation in French.

FEBRUARY 2017

thursday 9, Performance anxiety for youth,7PM EST at iusmm.  The event is sold out but the event will be webcasted at:http://new.livestream.com/santementalemtl The young are encouraged to listen with their parents.
thursday 9 Conference : measuring social support for research.  Stéphane Guay will speak from 9 AM to noon.  Reserve your free seat at 514-251-4000 ext 3180
friday 3 Series of conferences from 9AM to 5PM on psychotherapy, free, reserve your seat at 514-251-4000