May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Unprecedented numbers of people are struggling with mental health conditions. Among those struggling with mental illness, many find their symptoms are worsening due to lack of access to mental health care. Many mental health professionals are unable to accept insurance. In other cases, health insurance—including Medicare—fails to adequately cover mental health care.
At Restoring Connections, we are working to respond to the need.
We directly see the impact of inadequate mental health care in our work with incarcerated women. Our prisons have become holding facilities for people with mental illness. Having mental health services available when needed can foster stability, employability, and the social skills necessary for participation in society and can keep people out of the correctional system. With these services inadequate to meet our societal need, our country has turned to prison confinement. Unfortunately, when we incarcerate people without sufficient treatment, we resign a significant percentage of our population to dependency and institutionalization.
Our volunteer Soul Care Mentors are serving to make a difference for Justice Involved Women. They receive special training in trauma informed care and mental health issues. You can learn more on our website https://www.restoringconnections.org/services-for-justiceinvolved-women and
https://www.restoringconnections.org/restoring-connections-reentry
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer mentor, contact us at info@restoringconnections.org