Senate Bill S6287

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6287

SPONSOR: BAILEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act directing the office of mental health to conduct a study on the
effects of abuse suffered while incarcerated on formerly incarcerated
individuals

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The bill directs the Office of Mental Health (OMB), with the'Department
of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS), to study the effects
of abuse in our prisons on people being released

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 directs the OMH, in conjunction with DOCCS, to study the
effects of abuse in correctional facilities and provide best treatment
practice recommendations for those suffering long-term effects from the
abuse.

              

Section 2 sets that OMH shall issue its report to the Governor, Assembly
Speaker, and the Temporary President of the Senate within one year of
the bill becoming law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Thousands of people are released back into society from our prison
system every year. Often, family members and loved ones notice that the
person who came out is not the same as the person who went in.  People
being released from correctional facilities, especially those who were
held in solitary confinement or suffered abuse while incarcerated, often
suffer from what is being referred to as Post-Incarceration Syndrome
(PICS). While PICS hasn't been officially recognized yet, there is a
growing body of research showing people released suffer from PTSD-like
symptoms such as flashbacks or sudden anger, difficulty forming and
maintaining relationships leading to social isolation, and sensory over-
load.

These issues can contribute to a cycle of poverty and social marginali-
zation, which further increases the risk of recidivism. The bill directs
the Office of Mental Health to study the effects of abuse in our prisons
and provide best treatment practice recommendations for people suffering
the long-term effects of such abuse. The results of this study will help
the state and mental health provider community craft meaningful changes
to how we support people who are being released to ensure they don't end
up reincarcerated.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.