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Justice Programs

Currently, the U.S. correctional system is the primary inpatient psychiatric warehouse. The APA Foundation is committed to changing that.

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  • 2M
    number of times people with severe mental illness are booked into jails each year
  • 27%
    of people who have been jailed 3+ times in the last year reported having moderate or severe mental illness
  • 8%
    only 8% of APA poll respondents agreed that people in prisons and jails are definitely getting the mental health care they need

Our commitment to equity in mental health care extends to the criminal justice system, where many of our community members with serious mental illness (SMI) lack specific resources to support their wellness. Our Justice program is dedicated to providing those badly needed resources and reducing recidivism rates. By equipping law enforcement, judges, and county officials with the tools to understand, recognize, and address mental illness, we are reducing the number of people with mental illness in jails and improving both outcomes for the individual and our communities.

From Lived Experience to Lived Expertise: Origins

We share the stories of three individuals who came of age in different regions and decades but whose lives are united by common themes. When institutions fail in their duty to recognize and respond to children in crisis, unmet needs become entry into the justice system.

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