189946 Tackling mental health issues in prisons: Some examples

Monday, October 27, 2008: 1:15 PM

Paul Hayton , Deputy Director, Department of Health, WHOO CC, London, England
Sean Duggan , Director, Criminal Justice Programme, Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, London, England
     
The WHO Trencin Statement on prisons and mental health states: ‘Much can be done, even in countries with the most limited resources'. This presentation will look at some examples of what has been done along the lines indicated by the “key criteria for success” of the Statement. It will start with the promotion of mental health, with checklists for managers and other staff as well as for prisoners. Then some of the work of the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health will be outlined and sources for further reading and consideration will be listed. The talk will conclude with a discussion of the barriers to progress: is it true that the failure of many governments to see the treatment of people with mental health problems as an issue of human rights reduces political momentum for reform?

Learning Objectives:
1. See what public health can do in tackling one of the social injustice scandals of the present day 2. Appreciate the central role of public health principles and human rights norms and standards in ensuring the right to mental health for all.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Director of the Criminal Justice programme for my organisation and all work is authorised by me.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: APHA President-elect Session: Mental Health, Involuntary Detention and Human Rights
See more of: APHA