(Oct. 6, 2016) New Hampshire’s citizens will have a chance to speak up for the most vulnerable citizens in the state October 20 when the House Health and Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee meets. On the agenda is HB 1541 , a bill that would prohibit placing civilly committed individuals at the Secure Psychiatric Unit (SPU) at the Men’s Prison in Concord. Yes, in New Hampshire, people with severe mental illness are regularly placed in prison cells instead of psychiatric beds in the state hospital where they can get access to treatment.
Individuals committed to the SPU are in the custody of the Department of Corrections — though they did not enter the system as a result of criminal activity. This is the ultimate criminalization of serious mental illness: patients with severe mental illness who require secure placement literally go to prison in New Hampshire. This applies to both men and women, though placement is at a men’s prison.
Last month, the Subcommittee on Health and Human Services and Elderly Affairs decided to vote on HB 1541 before any public comment from the families and consumers who had come to testify about their experiences at the SPU.
In addition to concerns by families and patients, allegations of mistreatment were raised in recent lawsuit. A former prison guard at the SPU is facing a lawsuit by two women who were sexually assaulted at the facility in 2003 and 2004.
Despite these grave concerns and before a single word was spoken by the public, the Subcommittee voted to recommend against pursuing future legislation.
At this important meeting on October 20, lawmakers will work to overturn the recommendation of the subcommittee and push for legislation to address this blatant violation of the rights of individuals with SMI.
New Hampshire Representative Renny Cushing, who has long spoken out against the SPU as a placement for civilly committed individuals, partnered with the Treatment Advocacy Center and the American Friends Service Committee to ask the Department of Justice’s Special Litigation Unit to investigate the SPU. State lawmakers in New Hampshire have the power to act without federal intervention, and are facing increasing pressure from citizens to halt the controversial practice.
New Hampshire can and must do better.
In addition to concerns by families and patients, allegations of mistreatment were raised in recent lawsuit. A former prison guard at the SPU is facing a lawsuit by two women who were sexually assaulted at the facility in 2003 and 2004.
Despite these grave concerns and before a single word was spoken by the public, the Subcommittee voted to recommend against pursuing future legislation.
At this important meeting on October 20, lawmakers will work to overturn the recommendation of the subcommittee and push for legislation to address this blatant violation of the rights of individuals with SMI.
New Hampshire Representative Renny Cushing, who has long spoken out against the SPU as a placement for civilly committed individuals, partnered with the Treatment Advocacy Center and the American Friends Service Committee to ask the Department of Justice’s Special Litigation Unit to investigate the SPU. State lawmakers in New Hampshire have the power to act without federal intervention, and are facing increasing pressure from citizens to halt the controversial practice.
New Hampshire can and must do better.